


Sins

by Pallas_FreedomReleased



Category: General Hospital
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-07
Updated: 2015-11-06
Packaged: 2018-04-30 10:11:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 42,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5159876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pallas_FreedomReleased/pseuds/Pallas_FreedomReleased
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An alternate history telling of the Metro Court Hostage Situation that tells the story of what could have happened if Elizabeth had said yes to Jason's marriage proposal.  Each chapter in the story is based on one of the Seven Deadly Sins.</p>
<p>Explicit rating due to the last chapter, Lust.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Greed

**Author's Note:**

> This story picks up during the hostage situation, right after Emily's outburst following Alan's release. James Craig is James Craig- not Jerry Jacks with an extreme makeover, simply because I thought that was a stupid, unimaginative way to keep the actor on the show. The vault is still in lock down, Carly has recognized Jason after he helped Alan to the lobby doors, and Elizabeth is experiencing contractions.
> 
> On a broader sense, Sam is still living at the lake house with Alexis, although their relationship is understandably strained. Lucky entered rehab and is slowly on his way to recovery for Elizabeth and the new baby she is carrying. So far, Elizabeth has kept it secret that Jason is the father of her baby. And although she is trying with Lucky, she is realizing more and more each day just how in love she is with Jason. 
> 
> And as much as it kills me to say this… Jason loves Sam.

For every success, there is a failure

For every strength, there is a weakness

For every virtue, there is a vice

**Part 1: Greed**

_ Greed _ _: A sin of excess. A desire for wealth or gain. In a broad sense, greed includes disloyalty, betrayal, or treason, especially for personal gain. Greed is the vice which sins against charity._

**~Metro Court Lobby~**

There was a blood stain on the front of Elizabeth Webber's lavender dress. It wasn't the stain that bothered her so much. After all, Robin's blood was on her hands, splattered up her arms, and even probably in her hair. But she still stared at the stain on her dress, not because it was there, but because of its placement.

The stain sat directly over the high swell of her belly.

Elizabeth inhaled slowly as she shifted against the beige arm chair. The tiled floor beneath her was hard and cold, and her feet - folded under her body - had long since fallen asleep. She pressed her back firmly against the side of the chair as another harsh cramp rolled through her body.

Next to her, she felt Sam shift as well. Sam's foot brushed by her knee but she ignored that as she bit firmly on her full bottom lip, turning her head away from the other brunette.

From across the lobby, her blue eyes met Sonny's dark obsidian ones. He met her stare for a moment before dropping his gaze to the bulge of her stomach and instant tears came to her eyes. His gaze flickered up to her face again a second later and she blinked, reading in his eyes the same thought that had been tormenting her since the pains began.

_It was too soon._

Her hand instantly moved to cradle her middle and Sonny's gaze followed it, something changing in his dark eyes. It was a look she had seen in his eyes once before, years ago at General Hospital when that singular though had similarly run through his head, not about her child, but for his own. For his son.

The son he had grieved for with silent tears as she had held him.

Movement next to her caught her attention and Elizabeth stiffened as Craig's people shifted positions. The one in charge of her and Sam - she'd long forgotten his number - headed towards the opposite side of the room as one of the men guarding the door slid into his spot. Her new guard stepped close to her on his way by, so close that she could feel him even as she closed her eyes and lifted her face upward.

_Please come get us._

"He's on his way."

Elizabeth's eyes flew open. Sam stared back at her, and the woman tried smiling but failed.

"You know he's on his way," Sam whispered. "Jason won't leave us here." Sam's gaze faltered, fell to the floor, and Elizabeth could feel the other woman's discomfort as Sam's voice dropped a notch. "Everyone he cares about is here…He's on his way."

The man behind them took a step closer, the toe of his black boot brushing the hem of Elizabeth's dress.

Elizabeth closed her eyes again, her hand brushing against the swell of her belly. With her eyes closed, she missed how both Sam's eyes and the eyes of the man behind them followed the movement of her hand.

"I know," she finally whispered. Her fingers drew a light circle around the fullest part of her stomach. "He won't let anything happen to us."

Sam watched her a moment, her eyes straying downward to Elizabeth's protruding stomach. As always, Jealousy surged through her body. Her eyes flashed before she could stop it.

What she wouldn't give to feel the pressure of a swollen belly on her own body again.

She swallowed hard. "Are you… ok?" Sam started quietly. "Cramps?"

Elizabeth's teeth clenched at the mention of the cramping she felt. Her chin raised a notch as her hand unconsciously tightened against her belly. "I… I think I'm ok. I told Emily, it's dehydration."

Sam leaned in speak again as the gunman behind them shifted. She peered up at him for a moment, their eyes meeting and she froze. For a moment, it seemed he leaned forward as he held her gaze before it flickered, for a second, down at Elizabeth.

Focusing on Elizabeth's stomach.

Sam felt awareness jolt through her body, overwhelming the jealousy she'd felt a minute before. She frowned and shifted closer to the pregnant woman beside her, her eyes narrowing, her senses on alert.

Movement behind her caught her attention and Sam stiffened as a second gunman - the only female one, as far as she could ascertain - stepped closer to the one already standing guard over her and Elizabeth. Next to her, she felt Elizabeth stiffen as well.

"Hey!" The woman jabbed at the air with her gun. From behind her mask, her eyes narrowed at her colleague. “Watch what you're doing."

Immediately, he raised his gun a little higher, stood a little straighter and Sam watched his movements, her eyes narrowing at the sudden familiarity of his stance. As the armed woman walked off, he looked down at her and their eyes met again, brown to ice blue.

Her breath caught in her throat as relief hit her hard. Next to her, Elizabeth's fingers curled tighter into her belly, her knuckles turning white and Sam frowned, suspecting another round of cramping had begun for the woman. Her eyes jumped back to Jason's, but his were focused on Elizabeth.

Again, jealousy surged through her body, this time having nothing to do with Elizabeth's pregnancy and everything to do with the images her imagination assaulted her with.

Images of Jason and Elizabeth together.

She may not have seen Jason's betrayal, like Jason had seen hers with Ric, but sometimes it felt like she had. Her imagination had no problem filling in the blanks, especially every time she saw the one time lovers together.

Hurt always came after the jealousy, and she felt tears threaten as she watched Jason's gaze linger on the woman next to her. The _pregnant_ woman next to her.

She forced herself to swallow hard. Her throat felt like it was on fire all of the sudden, but she blinked away any trace of possible tears. As much as it killed her, Jason and Elizabeth's friendship was a harsh pill it seemed she'd always have to swallow.

Jason loved her, and she had no doubt in that… but he cared about Elizabeth too. And there was no doubting that either.

Elizabeth's soft gasp, barely audible, pulled her from her thoughts and Sam frowned at the other woman's pallor. She felt Jason tense and she swallowed again.

"It's gonna be ok," Sam whispered.

Elizabeth's eyes met hers for a second before Sam shifted her gaze upward. Immediately, silently, Elizabeth followed Sam's look and Sam watched, in equal parts fascination and unease, as Jason and Elizabeth's eyes met.

Pale blue to dark blue.

Neither said anything - neither could - but they held the stare firmly, Jason shifting with a barely perceptible nod even as he refused to break his eye contact with Elizabeth.

Sam shifted, suddenly uncomfortable. Neither looked her way. This time, the emotion that slammed into her was fear. Not at the situation, or the guns, but at the look that passed between the two people next to her.

And out of the three of them, Sam was the only one who noticed the slow flexing of Elizabeth's hand over her belly as her fingers eased her grip on her dress and slowly relaxed.

~*~*~*~*~

**~One Hour Later~**

The blood stain on her lavender dress had long dried, turning to a rusted brown color as it stiffened the soft material. It still, however, caught her attention every once in a while, and it still made her frown. With Sam gone, hopefully having escaped, Elizabeth sat alone against the plush beige armchair in the lobby. Her eyes closed as she leaned the side of her head against the chair.

She barely noticed the shift in the armed gunmen around her but the back of her neck tingled with awareness and she knew without turning that Jason now stood behind her.

He took a step closer to her than he needed to, something which didn't go unnoticed by both her and the dark obsidian eyes across the room. She was grateful for it, however, when the toe of his boot brushed her leg, high on her thigh. The tightness in her chest eased at his touch but before she could sneak a glance at him, he was stepping away, moving quickly to the other side of the room as Sonny stood, facing off with One.

Elizabeth watched Jason move as the world around her seemed to crawl in slow motion. She caught a look pass between Sonny and Jason, recognizing it immediately.

_It was time to end this._

Fear made her body tense as the lobby lights cut suddenly, the screams around her seeming so far away, as if her head were under water. She blinked in the darkness, struggling to crawl around the chair.

The crash of the windows breaking broke through her haze and gas filled the room. One can rolled to her feet and Elizabeth barely had time to recognize it as tear gas before she started coughing.

Gunfire erupted next, and Elizabeth cradled her stomach with both hands as she struggled to crouch as low as her belly would allow. The firing of the guns illuminated the room in a hazy, orange glow and for the briefest of seconds, she though she saw Jason by the check in desk, struggling with One. Fear choked her as Elizabeth covered her head with her hands and struggled to keep her eyes on Jason at the same time.

She never realized that her own screams joined the others in the lobby.

She lost sight of Jason, wasn't even sure it was him she saw in the first place, and Elizabeth lowered her head again, coughing into the skirt of her dress. A burst of air whizzed by her head and she barely had time to register it as bullets flying by her. Adrenaline took over and motherly protectiveness had her clutching her stomach as she struggled to peek around the chair for an exit from the madness.

Before she could figure out where to go, how to escape, Elizabeth felt a heavy weight press into her side. She didn't have time to be scared, didn't have time to register much emotion at all besides relief as she felt two arms simultaneously move around her, one on her back and one under her knees as they lifted her into the air.

She didn't register where they were headed, but she felt him shift a fraction of a second before she felt cool metal against her legs. The metal slid aside and only once he frantically stepped in did she realize that he'd taken her to the elevators.

The doors slid closed behind them a second before the explosion.

Elizabeth felt her stomach dive as the force of the explosion and the sudden drop of the elevator car had both her and her savior tumbling to the floor. His hold on her tightened as he took the brunt of the fall, still cradling her in his arms.

Hands tight around her stomach, Elizabeth caught sight of the black mask and instant fear had her scrambling out of his hold.

"Elizabeth, it's ok! It's ok!"

At the sound of Jason's voice, relief slammed into her like a brick wall. She gasped, and before he fully had the mask off, launched herself towards him. He caught her, like she knew he would, and his arms immediately circled her waist.

Elizabeth clung to him as best as she could. She shifted her arms, tightening them around his neck as she closed her eyes. He adjusted his hold on her, never once letting go, as his forehead dropped to her shoulder. Jason spoke to her softly, but she never registered his words.

Instead, she focused on the press of her belly against his, and the knowledge that while he held her in his arms, their unborn baby was cradled, protected, between their two bodies.

The thought brought instant tears to her eyes. Jason tensed at the first sound of her sniffle, pulling away even as Elizabeth struggled to keep her hold on him.

Tears matted her lashes, making them heavy and dark, and the sight of them slammed into his chest, tightening it. Jason pulled his hands from her waist to cradle her face.

"Elizabeth," he breathed her name as his thumbs worked to rid her cheeks of her salty tears. Even as he brushed one away, another would slide down her cheeks, taking its place.

"Please don't cry."

His brow creased in concern and Elizabeth brought her hands up to his, the pads of her fingers resting against his knuckles. His hands were warm against hers, and she curled her fingers into them as she blinked open her eyes. Her breath stuck in her throat as she caught sight of him, his gaze on her unwavering.

Dear god she loved him.

The thought only brought another round of tears to her eyes, making the frown on his face deepen. She drew her bottom lip between her teeth as she lowered her eyes.

"How… how did you find me?"

Jason let out a breath of relief when she finally spoke and he lowered his hands from her cheeks. He felt hers tighten around his for a fraction of a second before she let them drop to her sides, and she slid back towards the wall.

He frowned at her withdrawal.

"I don't know," he said slowly. He stared at the top of her head as she lowered it, playing with the hem of her dress. "I just did."

A rumble from above caught both of their attention and they both snapped their gaze upward. Jason was the first to look back down and he caught himself staring at her. He could feel _something_ coming from her but he didn't know what it was. It took him a moment to realize it was unease. Discomfort.

He frowned again at the knowledge.

Elizabeth looked down, her gaze once again drawn to the blood stain over her protruding belly. "We're trapped."

She whispered it with a fierce finality, so he knew it wasn't a question, but that didn't stop him from answering as he watched he through narrow eyes. "I don't know how much debris is over us. But we're safe, and we have air. The rescuers will find us."

Elizabeth sighed, leaning back against the wall of the elevator. "I only hope the others were as lucky."

She felt more than saw Jason tense. Without meaning to, her eyes sought his and she had to blink with she saw the concern and worry in his eyes. Not for them, but for the others. For the people he loved who were in that lobby when it exploded. Sonny, Carly, Emily…

And above all, concern for Sam.

At that thought, Elizabeth's chest tightened, feeling too tight. She bit her lip as once again tears filled her eyes, blurring her vision. Love him as she may, the fact was, he loved someone else and that single thought made her feel like the walls of the elevator were closing in on her. Made her want to kick herself for falling into a situation of unrequited love.

The swift kick against her rib cage caught her unaware and Elizabeth gasped, her hand coming to rest high on her belly. Her gaze flickered to Jason's and guilt slammed into her, harder than their baby could ever kick her, as she watched his eyes darken in concern.

"Are you ok? Your baby?"

Her breath caught in her throat as he moved closer to her. His hand hovered over her stomach, but he held back from touching her.

Immediately, her hands closed over his and without thinking about the ramifications, she brought their hands to the side of her belly. His touch was feather light against the fabric of her dress and she pressed her fingers into his, forcing his fingers to press into her skin.

They both waited, suspended in silence, with their eyes locked. Elizabeth pushed his fingers deeper and a moment later, they both felt the flutter kick. Jason let out a forcible exhale and Elizabeth watched the corners of his mouth move upward as his gaze dropped to her belly. His fingers moved around on his own against her stomach as he searched to feel another kick.

Elizabeth's throat felt clogged as the truth sat on the tip of her tongue, ready to come out. Her head warned her of all the people who would be hurt should the truth come out: Lucky, Sam, Jason.

But as Jason lifted his gaze to hers, and she saw the smile in his eyes, her heart broke. Guilt hit her hard again. She was keeping this man's baby from him.

This man, who had just gotten so excited over feeling the kick of a baby he believed belonged to another man.

"Oh Jason," Elizabeth whispered.

Jason's gaze immediately flew to her face and his smile dropped at the look on her face. "Are you in pain? Elizabeth, what-"

Her hand gripped his tightly, stopping his words. His stomach dropped as he watched her lick her lips. Sometimes she could be so damn unreadable but the only thing he could read with absolute certainty right now was that she was afraid.

"Jason…" His name came with a sob. "This baby… this baby isn't Lucky's…"

His stomach clenched.

"It's yours."

He blinked, as her admission rocked him back on his heels. "I… what?"

Elizabeth pressed her hand against the wall, using it to help her steady herself as she paced to the other side of the elevator. "I'm so sorry."

Jason's hand tingled, the one that had just been pressed against her baby – _their_ baby's kicking foot. He turned to look at her, but her back was to him as she pressed both hands flat against the elevator paneling.

"Why… why didn't you tell me?"

He watched her hands clench to fists before she turned to him and the words tumbled out of her. "I wanted to tell you. I really did. But you weren't here when I got the results and then by the time I went to you, Carly and Sonny had already told you that it was Lucky's. And you said it was better that way and I thought you didn't wa…"

She stopped suddenly, backtracking as she rubbed her hands over her stomach. "Sonny said it was so dangerous and I wanted to tell you, but…"

Jason rubbed his hand over his chin as he stood, silent and still for a moment before moving towards her. The need to touch her stomach again hit him hard but he grabbed his pant leg instead. "You…you wanted to protect the baby. I can… I understand that."

Elizabeth bit her lip. "I tried to tell you… When you were shot, I told you. In the church that night, I told you the baby was yours."

He shook his head, more at himself than at her. "I knew you told me something important."

"I wanted to tell you so many times," Elizabeth continued. "But, Jason… Do you know how many lives this is going to ruin?"

He frowned at her words. "Elizabeth…"

"There's the danger, and it's not like we planned this or anything. And then there's Lucky and… and Sam. You guys are… you're trying to make it work... and they are going to feel so betrayed."

Sam's name made Jason freeze. It was hard for him to imagine or dream, but for a while, him and Sam had been trying to have a baby and he had tried to picture her pregnant with his child instead of Sonny's.

His eyes flickered to Elizabeth's belly, and his chest expanded as he realized the bump under her dress was his baby. No one else's but his.

He caught her gaze and before he could question it or think about it, Jason voiced the first thing that came to his mind, the two words that sat on the tip of his tongue. "Marry me."

Elizabeth's breath caught in her throat at the words. Her chest swelled almost to the point of pain as Jason reached for her hands. He cradled both of them and her fingers curled around his.

"I can protect you, and Cameron, and… and our baby," Jason started slowly. "I know you are worried about the danger, but it'll be easier if we are married to protect you."

Elizabeth stiffened.

"I can take you to your doctor appointments, and you won't be doing this alone." His eyes softened as he continued. "I know you've worried about that."

Her fingers slacked against his and the only thing holding her hands between the two of them was his grip on her.

"I know you don't want to hurt Lucky, and believe me, the last thing I want to do is hurt Sam," he continued. "But we can make this work."

He swallowed before continuing, quieter now. "I know you're trying to work things out with Lucky… You still… you can. I mean I won't stop you."

Her fingers slid from his.

He frowned when she took a step back, refusing to meet his stare. "I'm sorry, I'm not doing this right." He rubbed his hands over his face. "I know this isn't how a woman wants to be proposed to, but I can protect you. We can do this together."

He stepped closer to her, reaching for her hands again. They were ice cold and he rubbed at them, trying to bring some circulation back to her limbs.

"Elizabeth, we can make this work," Jason repeated firmly.

It felt like forever, but her eyes slowly raised to his. He frowned at the tears in them and the sight of those tears made him repeat his words to her. "Marry me."

One tear rolled down her cheek and he watched her swallow, struggling with something before speaking.

"…ok."

He hadn't known he'd been holding his breath, but relief slammed into him the second she whispered that one word. He looked down and let out a deep breath. He squeezed her cold hands in his.

She never squeezed back.


	2. Pride

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I can't remember if Elizabeth and Lucky were divorced but trying to make it work, or married and trying to make it work. Nor do I really care.
> 
> But for this story, we're going with legally divorced but trying to make it work. Because Elizabeth is no polygamist. :P

_For every success, there is a failure_

_For every strength, there is a weakness_

_For every virtue, there is a vice_

 

**Part 2: Pride**

_ Pride _ _: A love of self so distorted that it leads to the hatred of others. Pride is the original and most serious of sins, and therefore, the sin from which all others arise. Pride is the vice which sins against humility._

**~General Hospital E.R., Curtain Room 3~**

"Put the gown on, stay put, and wait for Dr. Lee to come check you out."

Well used to Epiphany Johnson's beside manner, Elizabeth didn't even bother to protest as she carefully eased herself onto the rolling hospital bed. She teetered back for a moment before catching herself as she pushed her arms through the arm holes of the standard issue hospital gown. She felt the cool touch of the sterilized hospital air on her back as she made quick work of her dress zipper from under the gown before she struggled to tie the laces behind her.

Two hands brushed the hair off of her back before gently pulling the laces from her fingers. Wordlessly, Elizabeth let her hands fall to her sides and she held her breath as his fingers brushed her bare back and he tied the strings into a single, neat bow. He repeated the action on the second set of strings, low near the curve of her spine, and the brush of the pads of his fingers against her skin caused her flesh to raise with goosebumps.

Elizabeth closed her eyes, her heart pounding in her chest as she felt, more than heard, him move around the gurney to face her. "Thank you," she managed, in what she hoped was a normal voice. She knew she failed when Jason frowned at her.

Dropping her gaze, she moved to slide off of the gurney. Jason was there immediately, his hands catching hers to help her stand. Her dress fell silently to the ground from underneath the hospital gown, pooling around her feet, but Elizabeth paid it no attention. She dropped her gaze to her left hand, held firmly in Jason's, his thumb pressed against her bare ring finger.

She'd been carried into the Metro Court elevator as a knocked up hostage. And yet somehow, she'd emerged, still knocked up, but now engaged.

But there had been no presentation of a ring and no flowery words of endearment from an in-love fiancé…

Tears welled in her eyes.

"Elizabeth, are you ok?"

Jason's thumb moved across her knuckles and she was again struck by her bare ring finger. She pulled her hands from his grasp and tried to forced at least a hint of a smile his way. "I'm fine… I'm just emotional. Hormones, you know…"

For a moment he looked like he wanted to say something - call her on her obvious lie - but as he opened his mouth to speak, his gaze dropped to her protruding belly, and his mouth snapped shut. His hand, which moments ago held hers, hovered over the hospital gown.

Before she had a chance to question it, Elizabeth latched onto her first impulse and grasped his hand lightly in her own. He didn't resist as she pulled it to her stomach, settling his warm hand over their baby. His eyes widened, first in surprised, and then fascination, as he stepped closer. His touch was light, gentle, but nevertheless, Elizabeth felt it like a brand on her skin.

"Jason?! Are you in here?"

The privacy curtain swung open and Elizabeth stepped back, bumping into the rolling gurney with her backside as a petite brunette launched herself towards Jason.

His hands, which had just moments ago been on her - no, not _her_ but on their baby inside of her - settled low around Sam's waist as he easily picked her up. Elizabeth watched the reunion of lovers, unable to look away. Her fingers caught the edge of the gurney as Sam squeezed Jason tight, held him close. Her knuckles turned white under the pressure as she took in the fact that Jason squeezed back, just as tightly.

"Oh my god, thank god you're ok. I was so worried."

Sam's words were muffled by Jason's neck, but Elizabeth heard clearly, and it left her heart feeling like she'd been kicked.  Repeatedly.

Jason eased Sam back down to the ground, but his hands remained rooted at her sides while her hands ran casually down his chest. The comfort and familiar ease of the movement had Elizabeth wanting to kick _herself_ this time.

Jason and Sam were suited for each other. At the moment, they were even dressed alike, all in black, both in stolen outfits from the hired gunmen. Elizabeth frowned as she dropped her gaze down to herself, in an oversized hospital gown. She grabbed at the stiff cotton, suddenly feeling much too exposed for her own good, despite the fact that she was decently covered from neck to knee.

"Sorry that took so long, Elizabeth."

The privacy curtain was once again pulled open as Dr. Kelly Lee stepped inside, her back to the cubicle occupants as she pulled the ultrasound machine behind her.

"I came as soon as I could but you know how-" The Asian doctor stopped short when she finally looked up. Her gaze traveled from Elizabeth, to Jason, to Sam, before finally settling back on Elizabeth, who stood in front of the gurney, her lavender dress pooled at her feet.

For a moment, Kelly simply stared, her dark eyes catching Elizabeth's. Kelly narrowed her eyes, pursing her lips before she nodded just once.

"Alright, everyone out. I need to examine Elizabeth now."

Jason's hands dropped from Sam's waist and his gaze shifted over to Elizabeth before dropping to her belly. For a moment, it looked like he was going to protest, and he went as far as stepping closer to Elizabeth before Kelly put one hand up in the air, stopping him in his spot.

"Elizabeth is a pregnant woman who was held hostage at gunpoint and involved in not only a shootout but a bomb explosion as well tonight. You and Miss McCall will leave right now so that I can examine her."

Elizabeth nearly groaned as Jason's face cleared of any and all emotion, his eyes dulling in his patented enforcer look at Kelly's firm words. Kelly met his gaze, one eyebrow raising as he stared back at her.

"Jason, please just go," Elizabeth said quietly.

Kelly paused to look back at Elizabeth before reaching out to Sam. "Take Jason out to the waiting room," Kelly began, softer this time as she spoke to the other woman. "Enjoy your reunion there."

Sam looked solemn for a moment before she nodded, catching Jason's arm and pulling him back with her. He frowned, tried to catch Elizabeth's attention again, and frowned deeper when she refused to look at him.

Kelly waited until Sam had fully pulled Jason through the partitioning curtain before turning back to Elizabeth. She watched the pregnant woman stall for time by easing up onto the gurney and adjusting her hospital gown. Kelly tapped her left foot on the ground and she crossed her arms over her chest. When Elizabeth finally stilled, looking up, Kelly raised one eyebrow. Her foot tapped twice more before she spoke.

"Alright missy… Don't even think you're getting out of here until you tell me exactly what's going on."

~*~*~*~*~

**~General Hospital Ambulance Dock~**

The sirens had been silenced, but the flashing lights illuminated the night, distorting the entrance to the hospital with the alternating red and blue lights.

Lucky Spencer stumbled as he pushed his way around the people rushing in and out of the hospital. His eyes were frantic as he scanned each and every emptying ambulance for any sign of her.

For any sign that James Craig had been wrong when he'd boasted that he'd stumbled over Elizabeth's dead body on his way out of the Metro Court.

Grief hit him hard at the thought, tightening his throat as the hospital doors slid open in front of him. The bright lights of the emergency room stunned him, their strength making him stumble back. Around him, people urged him forward, to get out of the way, as gurneys were pushed by and words were yelled rapid fire around him.

The smell hit him next - the smell of burn flesh from victims of the explosion. It burned his nostrils and he gasped as his mind's eye conjured up an image of his Elizabeth, unconscious and burned on the floor of the destroyed lobby.

Tears blurred his vision as Lucky stumbled down a side hallway, away from the people, away from the noise, away from the tragedy.

The side hall was quieter and Lucky leaned against the wall, closing his eyes as he willed the image of Elizabeth out of his mind. He tried desperately to remember her the way he'd last seen her, yesterday, happy and smiling and alive.

And pregnant with his baby.

"Oh God…"

It felt like someone had sucker punched him in the gut and he doubled over, nearly collapsing in the hall.

"Sir, are you hurt?"

He blinked, his eyes unfocused as he stared at the dark haired nurse in front of him. She looked like his Elizabeth through his teary blurred vision. She was tiny, with long hair and bangs brushed to the side, and she wore pink scrubs.

Elizabeth loved wearing pink scrubs.

"Elizabeth…"

The image his mind had created from Craig's words popped into his head and Lucky immediately frowned at the woman in front of him, blinking rapidly to clear his vision. Her hair was suddenly too dark. Her nose too pointy. Her eyes too brown instead of blue.

His knees buckled from underneath him and she reached for him, her hands gripping his elbows in an attempt to keep him upright.

"Sir, are you injured? Were you in the explosion at the hotel?"

Lucky frowned. Her voice was all wrong. Elizabeth didn't have an accent. His eyes dropped to her stomach and it was too flat. Even with the billowing of her loose pink shirt, he could see that there was no swell to her stomach.

He felt the panic rise up in his throat and he was unable to stop it as it choked his airway. "Please… I need… her. I need…."

He needed to get out. He needed Elizabeth. He needed their baby.

He needed a pill.

Jerking suddenly, Lucky pulled his arms from the young nurse's grasp. She stepped back in surprise and let out a faint exclamation of surprise before she tried to reach for him again.

"Sir, please. You need-"

"Cowboy!"

Lucky's head snapped up at the familiar nickname and he watched his father force his way down the hall. Luke's eyes were wide and frantic and mirrored everything Lucky was feeling inside. His father reached him, grasping his shoulder with his large hand, his fingers digging in as both men spoke at once.

"Elizabeth-"

"Lulu-"

They both stopped short, their mouths falling open simultaneously as they each took in what the other had said. The fear for both men doubled.

Luke recovered first, squeezing Lucky's shoulder again. "Have you seen your sister here?"

Lucky felt like there was a clamp around his throat so he only managed to shake his head.

"And Elizabeth's not here either?"

His stomach rolled as his father said the words out loud and this time, Lucky couldn't even manage to move his head in the negative.

Luke struggled for a moment to breath before his eyes glowed. "Then they both have to be at the hotel still. They're probably together. They're smart. They'd know to stick together." He reached for Lucky, pulling him away from the wall. "We need to go back to the hotel and dig them out. We have to find them!"

Luke's words lit a fire under him as both men moved, once again simultaneously towards the exit. The young nurse, who had watched the entire exchange in silence, beckoned for both of them to stop, but her words fell on deaf ears as both Spencer men stepped outside once again. The cool air hit Lucky hard, clearing his head as he rushed with his father, their strides even as they headed back towards the hotel.

Renewed, Lucky ignored James Craig's words and the image they created as he instead focused on the determination and strength radiating from his father. It seeped over him like a blanket, sinking in to give him that same determination and strength.

Spencer strength.

"We're going to find them," Lucky said confidently. "We'll find Lulu and Elizabeth."

Lucky nodded, too focused on getting back to the hotel to respond.

"We _have_ to, Cowboy."

"We will," Lucky said quickly. In the distance, he could see the lights from the emergency vehicles and cop cars that were parked outside of the hotel. He stared at the lights, just knowing that with each step he took, he was getting once step closer to Elizabeth. And she was waiting, with their baby, for him to find her.

The police tape loomed in front of him, blocking off the entrance to the damaged hotel and Lucky and Luke both ducked under it. Immediately, a beat cop from the force was there to stop both of them from getting any closer. Lucky pulled his badge, flashing it, as him and as father pushed their way through.

They both stepped up to the entrance, sidestepping the coughing emergency workers and survivors trying to exit. The door had been blown away in the explosion and the broken glass crunched under their feet as they stepped inside.

Lucky surveyed the destruction and felt his stomach clenched.

"I'm coming, Elizabeth," he whispered. "Just hold on, I'm coming for you."

~*~*~*~*~

**~General Hospital E.R. Waiting Area~**

Sam squeezed Jason's hand as she guided him around the ER nurse's station to the quiet sitting area off to the side. Her left leg brushed the back of the cushy armchair as she turned in one fluid motion, sliding her hands up Jason's arms to lock around his neck and pull him close.

She closed her eyes, breathing deeply and inhaling his scent as she pulled him as close as she could. "Oh Jason…"

Sam pulled away, only slightly, to peer up at him. A soft smile grazed her lips. "I knew you'd get out. I knew it."

He held her tight, and his embrace sent a warm tingle down her body, but he remained silent in front of her, a small frown turning the corners of his mouth downward.

She shifted, uncomfortable with his silence. "Are you sure you don't need to be checked out by a doctor? You _were_ in an explosion, Jason."

She tried to pull away from him, twisting at the waist to look around for anyone in a white lab coat who could be called over. "Let me find-"

"No, no, Sam…" Jason pulled on her hand, drawing her attention back to him. She raised her eyebrows in silent question as she faced him.

Jason swallowed, his eyes glancing down once at their joined hands before searching for her eyes again. "I really need to talk to you."

His look was serious as she searched his face for a moment. A tickle of unease prickled low on her spine and she tensed, her fingers jerking under his firm hold.

"We can talk after you've seen a doctor."

He shook his head at her, barely moving, his eyes riveted on her. "No, we need to talk now."

Sam frowned. "Jason, I don't understand. Why won't you let me find a doctor?" She pulled completely out of his hold before turning away from him. "I need to find a doctor,” she yelled out. "I need a doctor!"

Jason lunged towards her. "Sam, no." He grabbed her arm easily, his hand sliding down until he could hold her hand again. "Sam, listen to me."

She tried to pull out of his hold as he shook his head at her. "Sam please."

Stilling, she stopped calling out for a doctor but kept her back to him for a moment before finally turning to face him. "You need a doctor."

"I need to talk to you," he countered softly.

She closed her eyes, just for a moment. Taking a deep breath, Sam nodded slowly. "Ok…"

Jason paused, looking around as he was suddenly struck with the thought that he didn't know what to say. He knew his words were going to hurt her, and as he looked around the crowded hospital, he knew that this was all wrong.

But the words were sitting on the tip of his tongue and he knew he owed it to her to be honest.

"I… I don't really know how to say this." He reached for her other hand, so that both of hers were clasped in his. Déjà vu struck him hard. And when he realized this was the exact position he'd been in, with another brunette, two hours earlier, he let go, running his hands across his face.

Sam felt his withdrawal and unconsciously flinched. A pit of unease grew in her stomach but she lifted her chin anyway. "Just say it, Jason."

Her voice was shaky and she hated it.

He struggled for a moment. Struggled for words, struggled with his thoughts, struggled for composure. And when he looked up at her, she knew, before the words even came from his mouth, that whatever he had to say was going to turn her world upside down.

"I'm the father of Elizabeth's baby."

She had braced herself for what he was going to say, but nothing could have prepared her for the words he had whispered. Sam rocked back on her heels, as if he'd screamed it to her and instant tears blurred her vision as her hands came up to rest over her own barren womb.

"No…" The one word came out as merely a whisper as a tear fell down her cheek. She scrubbed furiously at her face, angry at the tears that she had no power over.

He reached for her, his hands coming to rest by her shoulders but she yanked out of his embrace. His eyes silently begged her to listen but Sam was beyond listening.

"NO!" The word came out louder this time, fueled by sheer pain and heartbreak, and even in the chaos of the hospital, several people turned and stared at the couple in the corner of the waiting area.

"It's supposed to be my baby," she started. "I'M the one who was supposed to give you your child! _We_ were supposed to make a family!" She pressed her lips together to stop her words and the sob that threatened to spill out.

"I'm sorry." Jason cleared his throat and tried again. "I'm sorry you're hurting."

Even in her distress, she heard his words, and more importantly, heard what he wasn't saying. A fresh round of tears threatened as she shook her head in disbelief. "Sorry that I'm hurting?" she asked incredulously. Her voice raised a notch, attracting more attention, but she ignored it all.

Sam leveled the fiercest glare she could at Jason. "But not sorry that you slept with her, am I right?"

Before Jason could stop himself, he took a step away from her. "You slept with Ric."

"And I feel horrible about it!" Sam yelled out. "I know it was a mistake and I regret it!" She shook her head at him, ignoring the tears that spilled down her cheeks. "But you don't and that kills me, Jason. Do you know how much that hurts? Do you have any idea?"

Jason reached for her. "Sam please-"

"Don't touch me," she growled out, yanking her arm from his reach. "Don't you dare touch me with those hands."

"Sam…"

Her face contorted and she struggled not to start crying again. "Do you know that every time you touch me, I think about you touching _her_. That every time you kiss me, I think about you kissing _her_." Despite her efforts, the tears spilled.

"And now I have to think about you getting _her_ pregnant, and it kills me."

He looked like he was going to speak again, but she held up her hand. "Don't. Don't say anything because the only thing I want to hear right now is that you're sorry for sleeping with her. That you're sorry for getting her pregnant."

Instead of agreeing with her, Jason looked down, and that single act broke her heart. Sam wrapped her arms around her waist, an act of pure protection, as she shook her head. "I didn't think so."

She moved to step away but he caught her arm before she could get very far. His fingers seemed to burn her skin and she jerked, trying to pull from his grasp but he held on firmly.

His eyes pleaded with her and when he spoke, his voice was raspy. "There's more."

A shudder rolled through her body. "God Jason, what else could there be?!" She pulled her arm harder this time, succeeding on pulling it from his hand. "What more are you going to put me through?!"

He looked down again and she hated him for it.

"I've asked Elizabeth to marry me," he said quietly.

Sam gasped before her mouth fell open in surprise.

Jason's eyes flickered back up, his stare intense. "I've asked her to marry me," he repeated. "And she said yes."

~*~*~*~*~

**~General Hospital E.R., Curtain Room 3~**

Kelly shifted on her feet, sinking into her hip as she pulled out the chart Epiphany had started on Elizabeth. She glanced at it quickly before looking back up at Elizabeth expectantly.

"Start talking."

Sighing, Elizabeth shifted on the gurney. "Nothing to say."

One of Kelly's slim eyebrows raised and the look on her face told Elizabeth exactly what the Asian doctor thought of her answer. "Really, Kelly…. Nothing's going on."

Kelly moved closer, tapping Elizabeth's knee with the medical chart in her hands. "You know, you shouldn't lie to me. As your doctor, it's critical that I have all the information." Her dark eyes softened. "And as your friend, you shouldn't lie to me because I just want to help."

The softly spoken words are what did her in, and tears instantly filled Elizabeth's eyes. She bit down hard on her lip as she turned her gaze upward in a vain attempt to stop those tears from falling. Absently, through the tears, she felt Kelly grip her hand.

She took a deep breath, but when she looked at Kelly the tears were still in her eyes. Kelly shook her head sadly.

"Why," Kelly started slowly, "do I have the feeling that these tears have nothing to do with being held hostage tonight."

~*~*~*~*~

**~General Hospital E.R.~**

The E.R. doors slid open and Luke rushed in. In his arms, Lulu lay, unconscious, and by his side was Lucky, matching him stride for stride as the younger Spencer man applied pressure to the gash in his sister's leg.

"I need a doctor!" Luke screamed. Several workers turned at his cry, rushing towards him. "Get me a damn doctor now!"

A dark, curly haired doctor was in front of him in a second, his hands cradling Lulu's head as he helped the orderlies ease Lulu down onto a gurney. "I'm Dr. Julian. What do we have here?"

Luke grabbed onto her hand as they wheeled her further into the hospital. "She's my daughter. She was in the explosion at the Metro Court. You have to help her! Her leg's bleeding won't stop bleeding."

"I see that, sir," Dr. Julian said smoothly. "We're going to get her the help she needs but I need you to step back."

"I will not step back! My little princess needs me!"

To the side, Lucky reached for his father. "Dad, come on. Let them help her."

At the sound of his son's voice, Luke calmed slightly. He yelled out to the doctors, but allowed Lucky to guide him towards the nurse's hub. For a moment, it seemed like he'd stay put, but Luke shook his head a second later and stalked as close to the closed curtain behind which they'd taken Lulu as he could.

Sighing, Lucky ran his hands through his hair. Dust and debris from the destruction at the hotel was caked over his body and when he lowered it, chunks of it were in his hands.

He shook the debris to the floor as he raised his gaze across the room. Epiphany stood, in the hub, watching him, an unreadable expression on her face and Lucky pounced.

"I need to know… Elizabeth… Has she been brought in?"

Epiphany's eyes narrowed. "I'm only supposed to release information on patients to family members."

Relief slammed into him. "She's a patient? She's here?!" Lucky grabbed the edge of the counter, both in excitement, and to hold himself up. "Where is she? I need to see her! I need her!"

"Family only," Epiphany repeated firmly.

"I am family," Lucky insisted.

"Last I heard," Epiphany started. "You're ex-family. She may be too nice, for letting you stay in her life, but last I heard, Elizabeth divorced your sorry, pill popping, excuse of a-"

Lucky stiffened. "We're trying to make it work," he ground out through clenched teeth. "And I have a right to know…She's pregnant with my baby."

Epiphany stared for a long moment before she finally relented. She motioned with her chin to the other side of the E.R. "She's in curtain room three. But don't you dare start trouble or upset her," she warned. "Elizabeth's been through enough tonight as it is!"

Lucky took off before she could even finish her warning.

~*~*~*~*~

**~General Hospital E.R., Curtain Room 3~**

Elizabeth let out a shuddering breath. "I've made such a complete mess of things."

She stared down at her hands, one of them tucked neatly between both of Kelly's. "Lucky's not the father of my baby," she whispered. "Jason is."

There was no exclamation of surprise and no shouting or screaming. In fact, the only sign that Kelly had even heard her whispered confession was the slight squeeze of support that Elizabeth felt on her hand.

Her eyes slowly drifted upward and Kelly met her gaze head on. "You knew, didn't you?"

Kelly shrugged as she rubbed the back of Elizabeth's hand. "I had my suspicions, but no, I didn't know for sure. When I gave you the paternity results, Elizabeth, the letter was sealed. I didn't read the report." She hesitated a moment. "What are you going to do now?"

Elizabeth's hand shook as she brought it up to her face. Her fingers trembled as she brushed her bangs to the side. "I'm going to have a baby."

"Elizabeth…" Kelly raised her eyebrow. "I'm being serious here."

Sighing, Elizabeth shifted on the gurney. "I know, I just… I can't. I don't know if I can do this."

"Stress isn't good for you, or the baby," Kelly reminded softly.

"I know," Elizabeth said again. "But stress is going to pretty much be unavoidable I think." She sighed again, unable to stop the quiver in her voice.

"Because everything's going to change…"

~*~*~*~*~

**~Outside Curtain Room 3~**

_"-is going to be pretty much unavoidable I think."_

At the sound of her voice, through the curtain, Lucky took his first deep breath since the entire hostage situation had begun. He lowered his head and when he let out his breath, it came in a shuddering huff of air.

_"Because everything's going to change…"_

His hand hovered over the curtain, ready to pull it back, but he hesitated at the last moment, closing his eyes as he let her voice wash over him. Relief flooded his body as he stood there, unmoving, knowing that Elizabeth and his baby were safe on the other side.

Lucky took a deep, cleansing breath as he slowly raised his head. Tears shone in his eyes, tears of happiness, as his hand reached for the edge of the curtain.

_"Jason's asked me to marry him…"_

He froze.

His hand clenched into a fist, bunching the fabric of the curtain in his hold. The color drained from his face as his mouth fell open in surprise.

_"He said he can better protect us if we're married."_

His mouth went dry as he listened to her words. Confusion made it hard for him to think. A moment ago, he wanted nothing more than to hear her voice. Now he wanted to scream, to beg Elizabeth to stop talking.

_"He said he can protect us. Me, Cameron, and the baby. He said he'll keep me safe as his wife. He said we can make it work."_

These weren't the words he was supposed to hear. The word marriage was never supposed to be spoken about Elizabeth and Jason Morgan. Jealously filled his body, starting at the tips of his toes up to the top of his head until it consumed him. His ears started ringing. Disoriented, he stumbled back, his hold loosening on the curtain.

_" Jason said we can make this marriage work…"_

The need for a pill again slammed into him hard, nearly knocking him back. A line of sweat broke out on his forehead.

Disgust rolled through him next. Disgust at himself, for his weakness, and disgust at the words he was hearing come from Elizabeth. He reached for the curtain again, intent on pulling it aside to confront her.

_"Make it work… for our baby."_

Lucky's hand convulsed around the curtain before it dropped from his hand. His arm fell silently to his side as he stared in disbelief.

Someone bumped into him from behind, jarring him out of his stupor. He stared at the curtain once more before turning on his heel.

No one stopped him or noticed as he walked out the sliding doors of the emergency room.

~*~*~*~*~

**~General Hospital E.R., Curtain Room 3~**

Kelly let out a long, low whistle through her teeth. "I don't really know what to say."

On the gurney, Elizabeth let out a quiet, humorless laugh. "Welcome to my world." At Kelly's urging, she laid down on the mattress as the doctor rolled the ultrasound machine closer.

Shaking her head, Kelly turned the machine on, letting it fire up as she grabbed the bottle of gel. "I've always thought that Lucky wasn't the father of your baby," she started, as she pulled up Elizabeth's gown. "But you never said anything and I figured you had your reasons."

The gel was cold on her belly and Elizabeth gasped softly. "How did you know?"

A faint smile came to Kelly's lips. "You told everyone who knew about your paternity issue that it was better this way, with Lucky as the father, and yet, you never looked happy about it. This should have been the happiest time of your life and you always looked so miserable."

A tear rolled down Elizabeth's cheek. "I didn't know I was so transparent."

Kelly shook her head sadly. "Only to those who actually take the time to look."

Both women were silent, letting the weight of Kelly's word hang in the air. After a moment, Kelly cleared her throat, starting her examination.

"Ok, we are getting _way_ to heavy here, missy," Kelly started. She grinned down at Elizabeth. "You're getting married. To one very fine specimen of muscle and leather, I might add!"

Despite herself, Elizabeth felt the corners of her mouth turning upward. "Kelly Lee!"

The Asian doctor laughed loudly. "What! You know it's true!" She grinned as the baby's heartbeat filled the cubicle. Both women were quiet for a moment, taking it in, before Kelly grinned at her.

"Then again," Kelly started slowly. "This baby right here is proof enough that you know exactly how fun muscle and leather can be."

Shaking her head, Elizabeth felt heat rise into her cheeks. "Oh Kelly…"

"And I hope you know," Kelly continued. "That at your wedding, I won't be looking at how beautiful you'll look, but I'll be drooling over the groom!"

Elizabeth immediately sobered. "It's not like that at all, Kelly…"

"Of course it is!" Kelly rubbed with a towel, cleaning the gel before settling Elizabeth's hospital gown back where it belonged. "And I won't be the only one lusting over your man."

Elizabeth shook her head, firmer this time. "Jason's not my man."

"You're getting married."

A tear trailed down Elizabeth's cheek and she brushed it away as quickly as she could. "We're getting married for this baby. Jason's doing the right thing. The honorable thing."

Her voice shook as she pushed her bangs out of her face, her gaze coming to rest on her ring-less left hand. "I told him this baby was his and his first instinct was to ask me to marry him. Because that's the kind of man he is."

"Oh Elizabeth…."

Her chin raised slightly, despite the emptiness she felt inside. "We're getting married to raise this baby together. To raise both of my children together. We'll be good parents. We'll do whatever we have to in order to make sure the kids are happy, and secure, and safe."

"We'll love our children." Her voice wavered. "But there's going to be no love in this marriage."

Kelly sighed deeply. "There will be love," she started softly. " _You_ love him."

Another tear found a way down Elizabeth's cheek as she once again let Kelly's words hang in the air. She didn't deny it, knowing that the other woman would see right through anything she had to say. Elizabeth shook her head sadly.

"…but he doesn't love me…"


	3. Sloth

_For every success, there is a failure  
_  
_For every strength, there is a weakness  
_  
_For every virtue, there is a vice_  


**Part 3: Sloth**

_Sloth_ : _The most misunderstood of the seven cardinal sins. Today it is known as laziness, but was originally the sin of sadness. In its initial form, sloth was characterized by melancholy, depression, and joylessness. Sir Thomas Aquinas described sloth as an "unease of the mind." Sloth often leads to lesser sins such as restlessness and instability._

**~Harborview Towers Garage~**

Jason slowly pulled his SUV into a parking spot close to the elevators. He threw the vehicle into park and pulled the key from the ignition, but he remained seated, the safety belt still buckled around his body. Neither Jason, nor his wife, made any move to exit the car.

God, his _wife._

He could feel her next to him, could read the unease that radiated from her body in waves. Other than the softly whispered _thank you_ that she'd uttered when he'd helped her into the truck after leaving the courthouse, she'd been silent. So silent that he'd been counting the seconds between each rise and fall of her chest as he drove.

She was uncomfortable, he knew that much at least. He hated not being able to read her. Sometimes her face let everyone know exactly what she was feeling and other times, like now, he had no clue what was going on. But as he watched her out of the corner of his eye, unmoving in his SUV, he couldn't help but frown at the idea that her discomfort came from the paper that she held in her hand.

Their marriage license.

He had spoken to Diane the night before, after Sam had left him at the hospital, imparting upon his lawyer the importance to rush the paperwork. Maybe it had been the hostage situation, or the explosion, or just the shock of finding out Elizabeth was carrying _his_ baby, but when he walked back into her hospital cubicle, he had wanted nothing more than to be married as soon as possible.

He'd _needed_ it.

As always, Diane had been ready for him and after he'd picked up Elizabeth from the hospital in the morning, the two had made their way to the courthouse to see the Justice of the Peace.

Their marriage had been performed in private, with his lawyer as their sole witness. There had been no pomp, no circumstance. Just them.

The thought brought a small smile to his face. It seemed fitting that the ceremony joining them would be a private one. After all, if the past proved one thing, it was that him and Elizabeth worked best when it was just them. The two of them on his bike or the two of them in her studio.

His eyes trailed upward. The two of them in his penthouse….

That single though had him turning in his seat, his eyes roaming over her as he cleared his throat. His gaze got caught on the full roundness of her belly, the physical reminder of that one night they'd spent together.

Jason rubbed his hand against his chin, his fingers catching on the stubble there. "You ready?"

She jumped slightly, as if she'd forgotten he was there, and when Elizabeth faced him, her eyes were guarded and unreadable.

"Elizabeth?"

She nodded once at him. "I'm ready."

Elizabeth turned away from him to grab the handle of the door as Jason reached for her, catching a hold of her arm before she could undo the latch. She looked up in surprise for a moment before staring down at her arm where he held her.

Unsure, Jason released her arm and licked his lips. Reaching for her had seemed only natural, but now that he had her attention, he realized he didn't really have anything to say. "Do you… I mean…"

She looked expectantly at him and he said the first thing that came to his mind. "Are you sure you don't want to just pick up Cameron now?"

_Something_ flashed across her face, for just a moment, but it was gone before he could name it. He searched her face for some clue as to what she was thinking but she was closed off to him and it unnerved him more than he wanted to admit.

Elizabeth shook her head slowly. "No I think it's best that we… settle… before I bring Cameron here. I talked to Gram this morning about watching him for me. She doesn't mind taking him for the night."

Jason nodded. He felt like he should say something else but he didn't know _what_ to say, so he simply watched as she turned back to the door and slid out of the truck.

The sound of her feet hitting the ground spurred him into motion as he quickly unlatched his own door and got out, slamming it shut behind him.

Together, the two headed towards the elevators, silently stepping inside. It was less than twenty-four hours ago that they'd entered a different elevator together. Jason hesitated only a moment, before pressing the button that would take them up to his Penthouse.

Their home.

His chest expanded unexpectedly at the thought as he snuck another glace at the woman next to him. The hand that held their marriage license was resting again her stomach.

It was a breathtaking sight for him. The paper, which signified their union, was pressed against the baby they'd made on that one night they had needed each other more than anything else.

He itched to touch her but her unease in the car came back to him and he hesitated. Elizabeth's eyes were firmly locked on the lit up numbers which tracked the elevator's progress and he let his hand drift towards hers, hesitating for only a moment.

The elevator bell went off and the doors slid open. Elizabeth shifted away from him as his hand clenched, catching nothing but empty air. He watched her step out of the elevator car, turning left towards his Penthouse.

And his hand fell silently by his side.

~*~*~*~*~

**~The Haunted Star~**

The breeze coming off of the harbor chilled him to the bone. It blew at him in bursts, biting cold, but it paled in comparison to the numbness he felt in his body. The numbness in his heart.

Closing his eyes, Lucky took a deep breath. The cold, February air burned his lungs, made it hard to breath, but he welcomed the pain.

_"Jason's asked me to marry him…"_

Her words came back to him, taunting him, as he gripped the railing along the deck of the sprawling boat. His knuckles turned white under the pressure as he dropped his chin to his chest, unable to stop the shudder that shook his body.

_"Jason said we can make this work… for our baby."_

Lucky's legs buckled from beneath him. He fell to his knees, still holding onto the railing of the deck as if it were his lifeline. His breath came in sharp, painful spurts as he ignored the piled snow seeping through his pants and half crawled towards the doors leading inside to the floating hotel.

A piece of plywood was nailed in front of the doors, not that it surprised him. His father's casino seemed to be closed more often than it was open. Lucky grasped the edges, yanking on it with all of his might. Tiny splinters tore into his uncovered hands, but he ignored it and kept pulling. The plywood had no chance and split, easily giving way.

He kicked the door open and made his way towards the bar. Luke Spencer had definitely had his priorities in order when he'd designed the Haunted Star. The first sight that greeted someone when they walked in was the giant bar that took up the entire left hand side of the main room.

Most of the barstools had been stacked, upside down in the corner of the room, but several had them had fallen on their sides, scattering across the room due to the natural rise and fall of the boat in the harbor.

Lucky bent to pick one up, his hands shaking. He slid onto the stood as his body sagged, his head coming to rest along the smooth, polished surface of the bar.

Tears burned at his eyes and a sheen of sweat broke out on his forehead.

"Elizabeth…."

His heart ached, both for the loss of the woman he loved and the baby he'd been fighting so hard to get sober for.

He wanted to believe that he had misunderstood. He wanted to think that he'd heard her wrong through the hospital curtain, but deep down, he knew the truth. It had been staring him in the face for longer than he cared to admit. After all, Jason had always a sore spot for Lucky and it pained him to admit it.

But the truth was, it had _always_ been Jason.

She'd made no apologies for her need to be friends with the mobster. She had no qualms against sticking up for the other man, often pitting the most influential people in the town against her.

In Elizabeth's mind, her and Sonny's enforcer had some sort of connection, and try as he might, Lucky Spencer never could, and never would understand it or like it.

His hand shook as he reached into his pant pocket. The tiny bag crinkled in his hand as he pulled it up to rest on the bar. His vision blurred and need slammed into him

He emptied the bag on the counter, his movements jerky as the old habits came back to him. He felt like he was moving back in time, falling deeper into the hole he'd once lived in - once craved - as he methodically counted and recounted the pills on the bar.

Mouth dry, Lucky licked his lips as he let his hand hover over two of the pills. A tear slid down his cheek, as one whispered confession left his lips.

"Elizabeth, I need you…."

~*~*~*~*~

**~Penthouse 2~**

"If you want to go to your apartment later and pick up some things, that's fine." Jason cleared his throat, looking over at her. "I can go with you if you'd like."

Elizabeth frowned as she shifted on her feet. For the life of her, she couldn't raise her eyes to meet his but she watched him tense out of her peripheral vision.

"Or you know, Max or Milo could go with you."

Her lower lip quivered slightly and she hated it, so she drew it into her mouth. With her eyes down, she never once noticed how Jason's gaze dropped to her lips when she did so.

"I can go by myself," she said quietly. Mentally she shook herself, trying to remind her that this was Jason, _her Jason_ and no tiny piece of paper, or what it signified, could change how much he had always meant to her.

"I don't want to inconvenience you or anything." Her voice was strong this time and that made her feel better. She shrugged. "I'm sure you must have… things to do."

He looked at her oddly for a moment, his head titled to the side. The look unnerved her for some reason and she shifted under his gaze. Whatever answer he was looking for, he seemed to find on her face and he nodded a moment later.

"If that's what you want," he said quietly. He rubbed his hand over his chin. "I'm going to… going to shower and stuff." His frown came instantly. "Unless you want to shower first. You can - you've been through a lot in the past twenty-four hours."

Elizabeth was shaking her head before he'd even finished his sentence. "No, you go ahead." She eyed the couch, unable to keep her eyes from drifting to the spot on the floor just behind it where he'd gently lowered her that night. "I'm just going to sit for a little. Rest my feet."

Concern instantly clouded his eyes. "Are you ok? The baby?"

He stepped closer to her, his hand reaching out to touch her. He hesitated at the last second and guilt tugged her at her.

She was carrying _his_ baby and he was afraid to touch her.

Reacting purely on instinct, she caught his hand mid air, guiding it to her baby bump. Relief softened his features as he stepped closer, shifting so that one hand was on each side of her belly.

Pure, unadulterated awe crossed his face as he held her. She felt his hands shake against her and it brought tears to her eyes.

He had known for one day that he was going to be a father, and she could already feel the love he had for the child she carried.

A moment later - too soon - he stepped back, his hands falling from her stomach and effectively breaking the spell. His gaze flickered from her face, to her belly as he backed up another step.

"I'm going to take that shower," he said slowly. "I'll be quick. I know you must want to get cleaned up."

"Don't rush on my account…" She watched him retreat quickly, climbing up the stairs two at a time. Even after he was gone, and she could hear the water turn on in the shower, she still watched the stairs before shaking her head at herself and settling down on the couch.

She stripped off the oversized wool coat that she wore off and frowned at it. Her own coat had been lost in the explosion at the hotel. When it had come time to leave the hospital that morning, she'd had no protection from the biting February cold except for Max's ridiculously large coat that he insisted she take.

Her frown deepened as she caught sight of the lavender dress she still had on. Her fingers brushed the rust-colored stain that sat over her belly. Her chin quivered, her nose burned, as her eyes welled with tears.

In all the times she'd dreamed of becoming Mrs. Jason Morgan, she'd never once imagined that she'd say her vows wearing a torn, dirty, blood-stained dress.

She bit down hard on her lip, both to stop its quivering and to prevent the sob from escaping as she looked down at her still ring-less hand. There had been no planning, no wedding dress, and no ring for this wedding.

Instead, there had been an old, near blind Justice of the Peace, and a lawyer, so perfectly coifed and confident, that she had left Elizabeth feeling frumpy, dirty, and inadequate.

Elizabeth wrapped her arms around her middle as she sank deeper into the couch. There had been no family members to celebrate with, no one to walk her down the aisle.

The ceremony was cold, and clinical, and took less than five minutes.

Closing her eyes, Elizabeth pitched to the side, letting her cheek rest against the soft leather of the armrest.

The perfectly loveless wedding for a perfectly loveless marriage.

The sound of the shower upstairs turning off had Elizabeth rubbing furiously at her cheeks, but it was the Penthouse door flying open that jerked her up and off the couch.

Damien Spinelli entered the Penthouse in a flourish of frantic motion. His shaggy hair hung in strands over his eyes, pushed down flat against his forehead by the knit beanie he wore over his head.

He kicked the Penthouse door shut - just like Jason sometimes did - and nearly tripped over his own feet. He stumbled a few steps, finally coming to a stop by the desk. Somehow, Spinelli managed to straighten, catch his balance, and deposit his messenger bag on the desk in one fluid motion that almost made it seem like he'd almost tripped on purpose.

A grin lit his face as he turned away from the desk, his eyes widening to match Elizabeth's widened, surprised look.

"Oh!"

Blinking furiously, Spinelli wiped at the crumbs he just _knew_ had to be on his shirt, left over from breakfast at Kelly's. "Salutations, Maternal One. The Jackal was unaware that there would be visitors at the humble abode this today."

He sneaked a not so subtle glance at her belly before grinning up at her. "The most honorable Stone Cold Samurai has informed me of the upcoming nuptials."

Before she could even start to correct him, Spinelli continued. "And about the impending arrival of the now known to be Small Stone Cold One. Not that the impending arrival was unknown, because that much is most certainly obvious, but the relation of the Innocent One to Stone Cold."

Elizabeth blinked, feeling like she was five sentences behind in his ramblings. "He told you all that?"

Spinelli shrugged, his shoulders coming up nearly to his ears. "Stone Cold was shocked, to say the least."

He seemed jittery, but Elizabeth couldn't decide if it was from nervousness at being around her, or just how he naturally was. He alternated between taking off his beanie and putting it back on twice before he shifted on his feet in front of her.

"When will you be moving in? And do you have your Pint Sized One with you?" He frowned, quickly changing topics in a way that made Elizabeth feel like she was scrambling to keep up. "Or will you and Stone Cold be moving to a new dwelling once you are wedded?"

Shaking her head, Elizabeth latched onto the last part that she actually understood. "We're already wedded - I mean married."

Spinelli stopped short and Elizabeth was struck with the thought that it was the first time she'd ever seen him stand still.

His mouth opened and closed - silently - three times before he shook his head

"Already married?"

She bit her lip at the hurt look he gave her. "This morning…" she said slowly. "Jason insisted."

"Oh…" He blinked

"It wasn't a big thing or anything."

"Oh," Spinelli repeated, firmer this time. "My congratulations on this most happy and joyous union." He reached for her hand, as if to shake it, but seemed uncomfortable the second he came into contact with her skin.

Elizabeth shook her head slowly. "It's not like you think. It wasn't a-"

"Spinelli, what are you doing?"

Both Spinelli and Elizabeth turned sharply towards the stairs. Spinelli dropped her hand like it was a hot potato and backed away from her. His right foot caught on the rolling chair by the desk and he stumbled a moment before catching himself.

"Stone Cold!"

Jason's eyes volleyed between Spinelli and Elizabeth, narrowing slightly when they came to rest on the younger man. "Did you eat breakfast at Kelly's?"

Spinelli smiled brightly. "I broke my bread with my most Kind and Faithful Friend Georgie this morning."

Jason stepped closer, swatting at the front of Spinelli's shirt. "You got your bread all over your shirt."

Spinelli wiped at his own shirt again before fixing Jason with a pointed look. "Stone Cold was busy this morning too," he said accusingly. "You and the Maternal One exchanged vows?"

Spinelli's eyes narrowed in what Jason could only assume was an attempt at a glare. Jason nodded, taking a step towards Elizabeth. "Yes…"

"And the Jackal was not invited."

Jason cleared his throat. He felt like he should reach for Elizabeth's hand but she had her arms wrapped around her belly. "No, you weren't."

The younger man looked hurt and Jason shrugged, not liking the fact that it bothered him. "No one was. It was… it was private."

That seemed to bring a small smile to Spinelli's face. "An intimate ceremony then."

Almost immediately, Spinelli's face dropped. "You and the Mrs. Stone Cold will most likely be making this your domicile, will you not?" His eyes widened. "Does this mean the Jackal will now have to find alternate lodging?"

Jason and Elizabeth spoke at the same time.

"Yes-"

"Of course not-"

Surprised, Jason turned towards Elizabeth. "I can get him another place, Elizabeth."

"You don't have to do that." She frowned, more at herself than at him. "It's not his fault everything's changing. He shouldn't have to lose his home."

Jason cocked his head to the side and his stare made her shift. "There are more apartments in this building alone. It's not like he'd have to go far."

Elizabeth looked once at Spinelli's sad face before shaking her head firmly. "No, this is his home, Jason. We can all live here together."

He didn't seem convinced but he watched her a moment longer before finally nodding his head. "If that's what you want."

She nodded again. "It is."

By the door, Spinelli beamed. "We'll be a family. Stone Cold, the Mrs. Stone Cold, the Small Stone Cold One, the Pint Sized One, and the Jackal!"

Elizabeth nodded, and when she sneaked a peek at Jason, he was glaring. She couldn't help but be hurt by the fact that he didn't look happy about the situation.

"Yeah," she said slowly, and just a little bit sadly. "One big family…."

~*~*~*~*~

**~The Lake House~**

The Lake House was empty, and for that she was grateful.

Sam ran her hands through her hair, pushing it out of her face before sinking down on the couch. There was a lump pushing into her back and she leaned to the side, frowning when she pulled Molly's favorite teddy bear out from between the cushions.

The mini bear stared back up at her, and Sam absently played with the ears. Tears filled her eyes as she pressed the bear to her belly. She fell sideways on the couch as the tears fell with more urgency from her eyes.

She felt empty inside - hallowed out. Each breath she took hurt as her tears turn into full fledged sobs.

She stared down at her hands, and through her tears, she still managed to make out the shape of her left hand. At one time, Jason's ring had been on her finger, a sign of not only their love, but of his promise to make a family with her.

Even through the pain and the betrayal, she still loved him. That fact alone made her hate herself because for months, he'd done nothing but cause her pain. He'd been hot and cold with her ever since her shooting. One minute he'd kiss her breathless and the next he'd tell her it wasn't safe - tell her that he couldn't have her in his life.

Another sob wracked her body, violent and louder than the ones before as she allowed herself the weakness and sank deeper into the couch.

And now she wasn't in his life. Now she was on the outside looking in, while he'd go and make a life with another woman.

With _Elizabeth_.

]~*~*~*~*~

**~Penthouse 2~**

Dinner at Penthouse 2 had been a somber affair, despite Spinelli's tries to drag smiles and laughs out of the newlyweds. Elizabeth had assumed they'd eat dinner together, all three of them. Jason didn't have the heart to tell her he wasn't hungry, or that him and Spinelli rarely ate together and never at the kitchen table.

Instead, he'd kicked Spinelli in the shin when the kid had started to tell Elizabeth where she could find the take out menus and had headed to the grocery store while Elizabeth went with Milo to grab a few things from her apartment.

Spinelli's nervous chatter had continued well after dinner. While Jason was used to it, he was pretty sure Elizabeth, not used to ignoring Spinelli-speak, must be well on her way to a migraine by now.

"And with the Fair Princess Peach locked in Bowser's most fortified castle, it is up to the Italian twosome to avoid the disasterly flying shells and-"

"Spinelli!"

Spinelli sputtered to a stop and blinked, wide-eyed, at Jason. "Stone Cold?"

"Don't you think that's enough?"

Spinelli frowned. "But I haven't even gotten to the Yoshi part yet!"

Jason tipped his head towards the stairwell, raising an eyebrow. Spinelli stared back at him for a full minute before his mouth fell open and his own eyebrows jumped up his forehead. The kid jumped off the couch and raced for the stairs, even before he had fully straightened. While Elizabeth gasped when Spinelli stubbed his toe on the bottom step, Jason merely leaned back in his chair, watching Elizabeth watch the kid.

When she finally turned towards him, there was a soft smile on her face, and the sight of it made his chest expand. "How do you understand him?"

"You don't."

She raised an eyebrow at him in question but the smile never left her face. Jason shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant. "Usually I only pick up on every third sentence or so and just try to piece together what I can."

She laughed at that, and it struck him that it was the first time he'd heard her laugh since they'd exchanged vows in their private ceremony.

"I think he has more energy than Cam does."

Despite himself, Jason felt the corners of his mouth turn upward as well. "He's just happy. He'll calm down…. Somewhat… once things get settled and he gets used to the change."

He must have said something wrong because her smile fell and she looked down at the floor before turning fully away from him. She played with one of the tiny pillows on the couch, adjusting it twice before standing and rubbing her hands on her pants.

"I think I'm going to… Well, I'm tired so I'll just… Head to bed."

He stood, started to follow, but she looked like she wanted to be anywhere but with him so he stopped at the bottom of the stairs. She was two steps up before he spoke, so they were nearly the same height.

"I had Milo put your bags in my room."

Her eyes widened and her teeth immediately caught her bottom lip. Jason felt like kicking himself in the shin as he backtracked. "Not that you have to sleep there… There are two other guest rooms."

She still didn't say anything, so he licked his lips and tried again.

"Or I could kick Spinelli out of the pink room if you'd like…"

"No," Elizabeth said quickly. "Not the pink room."

Jason flinched back, unable to stop it. Elizabeth immediately shook her head.

"I don't want to kick Spinelli out of his room. That's not fair to him." She looked down "I'll stay in one of the guest rooms."

He didn't know why, but her words left him with a sour taste in his mouth.

"I know this all happened quick," Jason started. "And we haven't really talked about it." He frowned, shifting on his feet. "I know we have to talk, and now's probably not the time, but is that how this is going to be? We're going to be roommates?"

She drew her lip back into her mouth before looking up at him. Her eyes were glossy. "I know I'm not being a good wife…"

"It's not that."

"Is that what you want?" Elizabeth questioned quietly. "For us to be just roommates?"

He watched her. "I want whatever you want."

Again Jason was struck with the thought that he'd said something wrong as she looked down and shook her head sadly. "…I'll stay in the guest room."

She turned and headed up the stairs. Jason watched her the entire way until she was so far down the hall that he couldn't see her.

"If that's what you want," he repeated in the empty living room.

~*~*~*~*~

**~The Haunted Star~**

That had to be the only word that could describe how he felt right now. A slow, lazy smile turn the corner of his mouth upward. There was a low buzzing in his ear and his head felt like it was stuck under water. He lolled his head to the side as his grin grew.

His hands weren't shaking now, and he was breathing just fine. Nothing like the gasping breaths he'd taken when stepped onto the boat. It was as if a calm had settled over him, bringing him peace.

"What are you doing here, Cowboy?"

He hadn't heard anyone come in, so Lucky blinked a few times before realizing that his father was standing next to him.

"Go away."

Luke's hand snaked out and reached for the bag of pills on the bar. Lucky tried to pull them towards him first, but his movements were too slow.

"Give those back! It's not what you think."

Luke merely stared at him. "What I think is that you're high."

There was no accusation in Luke's voice, just a little sadness. It was the sadness that broke through Lucky's fog.

"Dad?"

Luke shook his head as he held the bag of pills high in the air. It made something in Lucky's stomach clench. "Oh Cowboy, I thought you were kicking this."

His head dropped to the bar again, his voice flat. "You don't understand."

"I understand you've got a baby on the way who's counting on you to be stronger than this."

His stomach clenched again, and he felt a painful stab in his heart. Lucky frowned as he pushed his cheek harder against the cool bar. He must not have taken enough pills if he could still feel the pain.

"I don't…. It's Jason's… _She's_ Jason's."

The buzzing in his head got louder, drowning out his father's words. Lucky closed his eyes.

"I don't have anything."

~*~*~*~*~

**~Guest Bedroom~**

Her new bed was more comfortable than anything she'd ever slept on before, with maybe the exception of the bed in the pink room. But Elizabeth had a nagging feeling that her comfort that night had been less about pillow top mattresses and more likely due to the man who'd been spooned up behind her.

Whatever the case, it was certainly better than the pull out couch she usually slept on.

Rolling to her side, Elizabeth groaned. She lifted her head off of the pillow, fluffing it with her fist a few times, before letting her head fall back down again.

Wide awake, she peeked at the alarm clock, staring at the bright red numbers. They taunted her.

She sighed, shifting again so that she lay flat on her back. She placed her hands over her stomach as she stared at the ceiling.

They'd left so much unsaid. Sometimes that seemed to be their biggest curse. Jason was the person she could be the most honest with and yet sometimes, that scared her more than anything else in the world and she shut down instead of laying everything out on the table.

Tomorrow, she'd be bringing Cameron into this place - this home. Her Grams wouldn't be able to watch the child forever, ands she had only tonight to ease some of the tension that seemed to always pop up whenever Mr. and Mrs. Morgan were in a room together.

And that meant they needed to talk.

Decision set, she sat up in the bed. It took her a moment to slide off the high mattress and make her way towards the door.

She had no idea what she was going to say, but her son was depending on her to make the best of this situation. And Jason had told her that this could - would - work.

So she was going to believe in that, go to him, and do what they used to do best - just go with what felt right.

~*~*~*~*~

**~Master Bedroom~**

Jason couldn't sleep.

The sheet bunched around his waist as he rolled onto his side. He punched his pillow twice before jamming it back under his head. It felt just as uncomfortable as before as he flopped onto his back, staring up at the ceiling.

His insides felt like they were at war with his body and he didn't like it one bit.

He had promised her that he would make this work and so far he was failing miserably. He could tell this was the last place she wanted to be. After all, a day ago, neither of them had been expecting to be married, or living together. As far as he knew, she was trying to make a relationship with Lucky work for some God knows reason.

She probably wanted to be with Lucky right now.

A sour taste filled his mouth. Although she had told him of her decision to divorce the drug addict, the fact was, she'd always had a soft spot for Lucky Spencer.

Rolling onto his side again, Jason stared at the digital numbers on his alarm clock. He knew the marriage was rushed and he knew they hadn't thought it through or discussed nearly half of the things that they'd have to. But the moment she'd told him her baby was his, marriage had been his first impulse.

It was wrong, but it had felt so right.

His cell phone went off, interrupting his thoughts, and he stared at it for a moment before plucking it up off of the nightstand.

"Morgan."

There was a sob on the other end that made him sit up straight in the bed. He pressed the phone closer to his ear.

_"…Jason?"_

He sighed. "Sam?"

She hesitated for a moment and he found himself holding his breath. _"I… Can you come to the Lake House? I think we need to talk."_

He _knew_ they needed to talk and he pushed off the bed and stood, even as he spoke. "It's late."

She sighed heavily into the phone. _"I know it's late but I think you owe me at least this."_

Jason flinched at her words as he pulled a pair of jeans out of his dresser. "I'm on my way."

He hung up and slid the phone into the jeans before stepping into them. He pulled the shirt over his head as he headed towards the door. He stepped out into the hallway, hesitating for one moment as his eyes lingered on the closed door at the end of the hall.

He knew he needed to talk to _her_ too.

Shaking his head, Jason turned and headed towards the stairs. He'd talk to Sam first, since it seemed his wife didn't want to do much talking with him right now.

~*~*~*~*~

**~Guest Bedroom~**

Elizabeth leaned heavily against the closed door. She tilted her head upward in a vain attempt to keep the tears from falling from her eyes as she blindly made her way back towards the bed.

She'd made it as far as Jason's door, her hand poised to knock, before his soft words on the other side had stopped her in her tracks.

_"Sam…. I'm on my way."_

Elizabeth collapsed onto her bed, her arms wrapping around her body as she curled into the mattress. She buried her face into her pillow and cried. Tonight she'd let herself be weak.

Come tomorrow, she'd be strong.


	4. Envy

_For every success, there is a failure_  


_For every strength, there is a weakness_  


_For every virtue, there is a vice_

 

**Part 4: Envy**

_ Envy _ _: Envy is very similar to the sin of greed. Those who commit this sin desire something another may have, especially someone one they perceived to have something which they perceive to lack. Sir Thomas Aquinas described envy as "sorrow for another's good."_

**~Penthouse 2~**

Her new bed had to be the most uncomfortable thing she'd ever tried to sleep on. Although, if she were honest, her insomnia probably had less to do with her pillow top mattress and more to do her ring-less left hand atop the mattress.

And the fact that _her_ husband was off with _his_ girlfriend on _their_ wedding night.

Frowning at the thought, Elizabeth shifted into a sitting position. Pushing off her bed, she slid her feet into a pair of fuzzy slippers before making up her mind and heading to the door. She hesitated for only for a moment before pulling it open slowly. She peeked down the hall once, in the direction of the empty master bedroom, before heading for the stairwell.

After her first divorce from Ric, she'd suffered from insomnia nearly every night and nothing had helped better than a hot cup of chamomile tea. Not that she expected Jason to have chamomile tea, but at this point, she was willing to test out just about every option.

The first time she'd moved into Jason's penthouse, the kitchen, and especially the fridge, had been bare as a bone so Elizabeth was more than surprised to find it fully stocked, and perhaps more importantly, occupied.

"Spinelli?"

Spinelli jumped at the sound of her voice, spinning away from the open refrigerator. "Oh! Mrs. Stone Cold." He grinned at her, pulling out an orange glass bottle from the fridge door. "May I interest you in a bottle of the nectar of the gods?"

Shaking her head, Elizabeth crossed her arms over her chest. "No thank you. I'm sorry to interrupt. I didn't realize you were up."

He waved his hand at her before popping the top to the bottle. "No interruption. I was merely refueling." He snuck a sideways glance at her, the corner of his mouth curving upwards as he wagged his eyebrows. "Is that what you're here to do too?"

Elizabeth frowned, not understanding. "Excuse me?"

He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively again and when his meaning became clear to her, Elizabeth couldn't help the sharp blush that stained her cheeks. The sight of her blush prompted one of his own as he shuffled on his feet.

"It… It's not like that," Elizabeth stammered out. She moved around the kitchen hesitantly, her fingers trailing along the counter.

"Is it not your matrimonial night?" Spinelli asked quietly. He set down his orange soda on the kitchen table.

"It is."

If she had been looking at him, she would have seen him hesitate before speaking. "Then may the Jackal inquire as to why Mrs. Stone Cold looks so gloomy on this, your first matrimonial night?"

"Insomnia."

Although she responded as blandly as she could, her heavy sigh confirmed to Spinelli that there was more behind her one-word response.

"If the Jackal may be so… intrusive…" He stammered, his cheeks reddening again. His arms flailed in the air as he tried to get his thoughts out as quickly as possible. "But do not the conjugal expectations of the first matrimonial night in itself lead to a… a lack of sleep?"

Elizabeth bristled out of embarrassment and faced the cupboards. She was quiet for a long moment, and when she did speak, she hoped to God her voice sounded normal. "In a normal marriage."

She gave what she hoped was a nonchalant shrug. "And if the husband were here."

Spinelli pulled back in surprise. "Stone Cold has left?"

Elizabeth's gaze dropped to the counter. "He's with Sam."

Behind her, Spinelli's eyes widened. "Surely you must be mistaken."

Turning to face him, Elizabeth shook her head sadly, knowing that she looked more than a little pathetic for doing so. "I'm not. He left after I went to bed."

He frowned at that, his fingers digging into the back of one of the wooden chairs at the table. "Are you sure you are not misunderstanding?"

Elizabeth shook her head again. "I'm not."

"But Stone Cold made vows to you this morning!" he persisted. His voice lowered a notch. "And I have met no person who holds true to the importance of a vow as much as my Sensei does."

Elizabeth pushed her hair out of her face and sighed. "You're right, he does try to keep his promises."

Spinelli perked and smiled at that.

"But he doesn't always succeed," Elizabeth continued. "He once made a promise to me to try and then broke that promise days later." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "And when he pushed Sam away because of the danger, wasn't that him turning his back on… on their love?"

Spinelli shifted on his feet. "The Former Goddess and Stone Cold have a very… complicated situation."

"But he loves her," Elizabeth whispered. The confession made her eyes burn and she desperately blinked back the tears before they could form.

"Do you… Do you not think that Stone Cold loves you too?" Spinelli asked carefully.

Elizabeth vision blurred, despite her best efforts. "Not like that."

Spinelli was quiet for a long time before he leaned over and pushed his open soda bottle towards Elizabeth. Only when she accepted it and took a small sip did he speak, this time the simplest sentence she'd ever heard him utter.

And one that sent her world spinning on its axis.

"You mean," Spinelli said sagely. "Not like you love him."

~*~*~*~*~

**~The Lake House~**

There was only one light on in the Lake House when Jason stepped up to the door. He saw Sam on the couch, waiting for him, and her eyes met his through the window. For a moment, both just stared.

Jason was the first to break the eye contact as he moved out of the line of the window and stepped up to the door. Sam was there an instant later, her coat in her hands. She opened the door only wide enough for her to slip through before shutting it firmly behind her.

"I know it's cold, but everyone's asleep," she said quietly in apology. She slid the coat around her shoulders before crossing her arms in front of her chest.

Jason shoved his hands into the front pocket of his jeans. "It's ok, I don't feel the cold."

They fell silent and again they stared. This time, it was Sam who broke the gaze as she walked to the small swinging chair on the porch and sat down. She looked at Jason expectantly but he remained rooted in his spot by the door. She frowned at him, the corners of her lips tightening.

"Thank you for coming."

Jason sighed heavily. He pulled his hands from his pockets to rub them over his face. He peered down at Sam and sighed again. "I owe you that much."

Her back stiffened, a sure sign that he'd said something wrong. Not that it really surprised him - he couldn't say anything right lately.

"You owe me," Sam repeated, her eyes narrowing. "I'm not some sort of obligation, Jason. I'm the woman you say you love."

Jason frowned. He started to step towards her but stopped a second later. "That's not what I meant."

She shook her head and he noticed, for the first time, the shimmer of tears in her eyes. It looked like she struggled with them for a minute, but in the end, none fell as she met his gaze.

"I really hate you, you know," she whispered. "I hate you so much. I hate both of you."

Her words hurt, making his chest ache as he swallowed hard.

His love for her hadn't been instant. It had started out as obligation, had turned into friendship, and had somehow morphed into something deeper. It had been amazing because she was like him in so many ways. He hadn't gone into things thinking he'd fall in love, but somewhere along the way, he'd gotten so comfortable with her that he started to expect a future with her.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, just as quietly as she had whispered her words.

Sam struggled for a second before lifting her chin. Her lower lip wavered for a moment before she got control of it. "Will you and El… _her_ be living at the Penthouse."

"Yes."

Something flashed in her eyes. "In _my_ home?"

Jason sighed, motioning to the house. "This is your home now."

She glared at him. " _You_ were supposed to be my home." She raised an eyebrow at him, her voice laced with resentment. "Now you'll be Elizabeth's home. I'm sure you two will be married soon."

He shook his head at her. "We were married this morning."

Sam jerked back as if she'd been struck. "My god you work fast. Or should I say, she does."

Jason frowned. "I'm the one who asked Elizabeth to get married. I'm the one who pushed for us to get married right away. It's safer."

Sam's eyes narrowed. "Liar! It's not about the danger. It's about you wanting to be married to your precious Elizabeth more than you ever wanted to be married to me."

This time it was Jason who jerked back in surprise. "You know I wanted to marry you."

She shook her head at him, her eyes flashing. "And yet we never were. And you proposed to your perfect Elizabeth and the next morning are married. And now you have everything. You have your dream girl, who you never thought you'd get, and you have your baby, who you never though you deserved."

He knew she was waiting for him to say something else, but he knew whatever he'd say would only upset her more, so he kept quiet. He watched a flash of disappointment cross her face at his silence.

"I was so wrong about you," she started. She frowned at him. "I let me guard down and let you in, and I was wrong. I should have known better."

Jason sighed. "Sam…"

She shook her head to stop him from continuing. "I never should have let you in."

Her words hit their mark as he stepped back when his chest throbbed. The heel of his foot hit the edge of the porch.

Sam shook her head, and one tear fell down her cheek.

"I never should have fallen in love with you."

~*~*~*~*~

**~Penthouse 2~**

(The next morning)

Damien Spinelli rarely ever woke up early. He was a night owl, through and through. Given the choice, he'd rather stay up until the wee hours of the morning and sleep the daylight away, not rising until the sun was high in the sky.

Stone Cold rarely let him do that though, insisting that he follow the hours everyone else in Port Charles did. That meant decent bedtimes - usually achieved by his Sensei stealing the AC power cord to his laptop. That also meant ungodly wake up calls, in the form of Stone Cold pounding on the door to the regretfully pink room before heading to the warehouse.

This morning, however, Spinelli woke bright and early on his own, thanks to an alarm clock that had taken him ten minutes to figure out how to turn on.

He was halfway to the kitchen before a knock on the Penthouse door had him turning on his heel. A second later, the door opened, and Milo peeked his head in.

"Silent Sentinel," Spinelli nodded in greeting. "Did you get them?"

"I did as you asked," Milo said, pulling a small bouquet out from behind the door. He pushed them towards Spinelli as he sneezed into the crook of his elbow. "Here, take them."

Spinelli frowned as he took the flowers. "These are not the floral creations that I asked you to pick. I specifically asked for the Casablanca lilies that grow _behind_ the Towers."

Milo sneezed again, glaring at the flowers. "You said the white ones. These are white."

Spinelli held the offending bouquet up by the stems. "These are daisies."

"White flowers," Milo said, backing towards the door. "Not seeing the problem."

Lip curled, Spinelli sighed. "They're weeds."

Rolling his eyes, Milo stepped out in the hall. "I'm not climbing through the flowerbeds again." He stabbed a finger in the air towards the other man. "You want different flowers, you pick them yourself!"

Slack jawed, Spinelli stared as Milo jabbed his finger at him again before closing the door. He huffed before glaring once more at the flowers. Spinelli grumbled on his way to the kitchen, setting the flowers in the tall glass he'd picked to serve as a vase.

"Florally challenged Sentinel," Spinelli muttered, rolling his eyes.

"What was that?"

Jumping, Spinelli spun, his hip hitting the kitchen table and jarring the glasses and plates he'd set earlier. "Mrs. Sto-uh, Maternal One! You're awake!"

Elizabeth gave him a small smile as she stepped further into the kitchen. "I'm still on Mommy time. I'm not used to sleeping in anymore."

Spinelli stepped away from the table, sweeping his arm in presentation so that Elizabeth could see the table. "I made breakfast."

He pulled the chair away from the table as Elizabeth's eyes swept over his spread. Two slices of toast, buttered, next to a giant bowl of Fruit Loops.

A grin played on Elizabeth's lips as she sat, reaching for the glass in front of her. "Orange soda?"

Spinelli grinned as he took the seat across from her. "Orange _juice_. Stone Cold doesn't allow me to take in the nectar of the Gods prior to the midpoint of the day.

That brought another smile to her face, softer this time before she raised the glass to her lips. "You… you didn't have to do all of this."

Her words, or maybe it was the thanks that he read in her eyes, made him blush and squirm. "The Jackal merely wanted to make sure your morning began with happiness."

His words, and the honest sincerity behind them, threatened to bring tears to her eyes. Her vision blurred, but no tears fell from her eyes as she lifted her chin a notch. "I'm going to be ok," she whispered. "I can do this."

The corners of Spinelli's mouth turned upward, just barely. "I have no doubt."

She took another sip of her juice before setting it down and reaching for her spoon. She snuck a look at him, one that made Spinelli shift in his chair.

"You are a good man, Damien Spinelli."

~*~*~*~*~

**~Harborview Towers Stairwell~**

His body was tired, his shoulders sagging as he rounded the stairwell corner. His legs felt like dead weights but he still opted for the stairs, slowly climbing all sixteen flights.

Sam's word had left him reeling, and his first impulse had been to jump on his bike and ride until her words and his thoughts couldn't haunt him anymore. So he had ignored the snow and ice on the ground, shrugged off the biting cold, and ridden faster than he should have until he'd hit the city limits of Syracuse and finally turned around.

_"I never should have fallen in love with you."_

Jason paused at the stairwell door, his hand resting on the doorknob as Sam's words came back to haunt him.

Shaking his head, as if to rid his thoughts, Jason pushed opened the door. He took a deep breath as he rounded the corner to his Penthouse, nodding once at Milo before pushing open the door.

Laughter greeting him as he shouldered open the door to Penthouse 2, and the sound of it made him stop short.

Elizabeth was on the couch, laughing, as she waved one of those wireless controls to one of Spinelli's crazy video games around in the air. Her legs were tucked under her body and she leaned heavily into the cushions of the couch as she tried to maneuver the controls around her expanded belly.

The sight of her took his breath away and kept him frozen in the doorway.

His eyes dropped to her swollen belly, and just like always, pride swelled in his chest until that's all he could think about. Once again, Sam's words slammed into him unexpectedly.

_"It's not about the danger. It's about you wanting to be married to your precious Elizabeth more than you ever wanted to be married to me."_

"Stone Cold! Fair Elizabeth can Donkey Kong!"

Jason jerked as Spinelli's greeting pulled him from his thoughts. Again, he shook his head, as he stepped fully into the Penthouse, kicking the door shut with his foot as he tried not to notice how Elizabeth tensed on the couch.

Or how his chest ached in response.

For a moment, it looked like Elizabeth was going to stand before Spinelli whispered something which made her, in return, raise her eyebrows at the young man. Jason shrugged out of his leather jacket and busied himself with hanging it in the closet, but he couldn't help but peek at the interaction.

Spinelli whispered again, just quiet enough that Jason couldn't hear and he frowned, not liking the stern look Elizabeth gave the young hacker in return. Neither seemed to pay him any attention so Jason stepped closer.

"I'm telling you," Elizabeth said, her voice so low Jason almost didn't catch it. "You're wrong."

Spinelli shook his head as he pulled the video game controller from her grasp. "The Jackal regrets to inform you that it is you, Maternal One, who is wrong."

Jason watched with blatant interest as Elizabeth frowned and shook her head. "Girlfriends… happen. Sometimes there are itches that need to… be taken care of."

Jason's frown deepened and he hated not understanding whatever the two of them were talking about. His hand brushed the edge of the couch just as Spinelli started waving his own in the air.

Spinelli scowled. "Vows! We've conversed on this very subject before!"

One particular wave of his hands brought Spinelli's right hand dangerously close to Elizabeth's belly, and Jason's eyes narrowed, not liking it when the boy's fingers brushed against her shirt.

"Spinelli!"

Both Spinelli and Elizabeth turned towards Jason in surprise. He watched Elizabeth's eyes widen when she realized how close to the couch he stood, but he focused instead on the boy.

"Yes, Stone Cold?"

Jason's eyes narrowed further. "Don't you have someplace to be?"

Ignoring his question, Spinelli stood. "May the Jackal inquire as to where _you_ had to be last night?"

Jason stepped back half a step before catching himself. "No."

Elizabeth stiffened and Jason dropped his gaze to her as she pushed herself off the couch. His hand automatically reached for her, to steady her, but she stood just fine on her own and he dropped it to his side.

"May the Jackal inquire," Spinelli pressed, "if Stone Cold was in the presence of the Ex-Goddess Samantha last night?"

This time, Jason stepped back fully and he blinked at the kid for a moment before snapping his jaw shut and looking at Elizabeth. She kept her gaze aimed downward.

"I…" Jason swallowed. His hand itched to touch her but he kept it clenched at his side. "She called and I went there… I had to tell her about the marriage."

Elizabeth's eyes flew up to his but she kept them guarded as she watched him carefully. His fingers twitched by his side.

"And then?" Spinelli prompted.

Jason kept his gaze on Elizabeth, watching her just as carefully as she watched him. "And then I went out for a ride on my bike."

"YES!"

Both Jason and Elizabeth spun toward Spinelli as the younger man pumped his fists in the air. Spinelli pointed, with both hands, at Elizabeth as he grinned from ear to ear. "Vows!"

Spinelli scooted around the couch and somehow managed to skip step towards the stairs without tripping. "The Jackal will now retreat to his regretfully pink room and let Stone Cold and Mrs. Stone Cold… have their privacy."

Jason watched him go, waiting until he heard Spinelli slam his door shut before turning back to Elizabeth. Her bottom lip was pulled between her teeth and before he could stop the impulse, he reached up and pressed his thumb against her chin until she released her lip.

Without meaning to, his thumb brushed a soothing stroke against her swollen lip and her eyes widened at the touch. Jason blinked, pulling his hand away. He rubbed his hand against the leg of his jeans but the pad of his thumb still burned from the touch.

Jason cleared his throat. "Did you… Did you think I was with Sam all night?"

Elizabeth shifted, almost pulling away but he mirrored her movements, effectively trapping her by the couch. "I… I know how you feel about her."

He frowned at that, not liking how she didn't answer him. Without meaning to, his hand came up and caught her elbow. The touch felt right, and his frown deepened at _that_ thought.

Elizabeth stared down at her arm, where he held her, and his fingers tightened around her elbow before he dropped his hand. He watched her closely, and if anything, she tensed when he stopped touching her.

Sighing heavily, Jason rubbed his hands over his face. "I know this is all confusing."

She worried her lip again, and he wanted to pull it out from between her teeth like he did before, but he held back this time.

Elizabeth looked up at him, her expression guarded again, and it hit him that he hated that. He _hated_ that guarded look that she seemed to only have when she was around him. He hated not knowing what she was thinking.

He hated not knowing what she was _feeling_.

He shook his head again, sighed again, not knowing what to say. Damn it, he hated _that_ feeling too. He reached for her, ignoring everything in his head that told him not to as he whispered her name.

"Elizabeth…"

Her eyes flew up to meet his and he blinked at the emotions he saw there. So many flew at him at one time that it was hard to name them all, but it was the first time she'd opened up to him and he clung to that.

"I know this happened fast," he started. "But… I'm married to you. You're my wife."

Pure, liquid emotion pooled in her eyes and she blinked rapidly to clear them. "You love Sam. I understand that. If you want to be with her, I… I understand. We can make this work. You told me that."

Jason frowned, squeezing her hand to stop her words. "Elizabeth-"

"You've been trying to make things work with Sam," Elizabeth continued, her words coming out in a hurried flurry. "And if that makes you happy, then I want that too. I want you to be happy-"

Jason cocked his head at her. "You don't think I could be happy with you?"

Her mouth snapped shut with an audible click as her eyes widened at him. "I… We don't do happiness very well."

He frowned at her words, not because she said them, but because of the truth behind them. They _didn't_ do happiness very well.

Jason slid his hands down her arms until he could hold both of her hands in his own. He stared at their joined hands for a moment before clearing his throat and searching her face.

"Do you want this to be a marriage in name only?" Jason asked quietly. "Do you want me to try with Sam while you… while you try with Lucky?"

Elizabeth closed her eyes at his words. "Is that what you want?"

Jason frowned when she wouldn't open her eyes, wouldn't look at him. "I want what you want."

Frustration shone clearly on her face, one of the first visible emotions he'd been able to read all morning. When she finally looked up at him, that frustration had turned her sapphire eyes darker. "What I _want_ , is to know what you want."

Jason swallowed as his gaze dropped to their joined hands. His thumb brushed over her bare ring finger as Sam's words once again came back to haunt him.

_"You have your dream girl, who you never thought you'd have, and you have your baby, who you never though you deserved."_

"I want…" He looked up at her quickly and his breath caught in his throat. His hands tightened around hers as he licked his lips.

"Elizabeth… What I want is to just…."

His voice was only a whisper as he laid everything he was feeling, and even what he couldn't identify, out on the table with one simple sentence.

"I want to put a ring on your finger."

~*~*~*~*~

**~The Haunted Star, Room 7~**

The first thing he noticed, as consciousness seeped through the welcomed fog, was that his head hurt. Pounded, in fact.

Groaning, Lucky rolled onto his back, keeping his eyes closed as he scrubbed his hands over his face, his fingers catching on the growth of stubble on his chin.

His mouth was sticky and warm, and felt like something had crawled in it and died. Groaning again, Lucky ground the heel of his hands into his closed eyes.

"Careful, Cowboy."

His hands stilled and he paused for a moment before cracking first one eye open and then the other. His father sat, arms crossed, on a chair beside the bed.

Lucky blinked against the light in the room and against the fog in his head, and just like that, the floodgates opened and the memories slammed into him. His eyes widened and he gasped as he sank heavily into the mattress.

He rolled his head to the side, licking his lips. "Dad… w-water."

Luke's eyes narrowed. "No."

Lucky's mouth fell open in disbelief. "Dad…"

Leaning forward, Luke rested his elbows on his knees as he regarded his son carefully. "Do you want to tell me first what's going on? What caused this relapse, Cowboy?"

Lucky shifted his gaze up to the ceiling. His hands shook so he fisted them into the sheets of the bed. "It… It's all gone."

The corners of Luke's mouth tightened. "Yeah, you kept saying that all night. You want to try making some sense now and quit sounding like a damn broken record?"

Luke's hard words made Lucky flinch. His knuckled turned white as he swallowed hard, his throat burning. "Elizabeth's gone."

His voice was merely a whisper and his heart pounded in his chest. "And my baby… it's not _mine_. I have nothing now." His face twisted. "It's all _his_.

"Whose?"

It killed him to say, so he squeezed his eyes shut. Disgust rolled through him as he spat out the name in one angry whisper. "Jason."

Luke sat up straight in the chair. "So you turned to pills again?"

Lucky felt weak under the strength of his father's stare. "I… I don't have anything else." He turned, his eyes pleading with his father. "I don't have a baby on the way… and I don't have Elizabeth anymore."

Luke was silent for a long moment before he pushed himself up off of the chair. "Good."

Lucky's mouth fell open in a silent gasp.

"You heard me right, I said good." Luke shook his head sadly.

"Dad…"

"Because from where I stand," Luke continued. "You don't deserve them."

~*~*~*~*~

**~Audrey Hardy's Home~**

Elizabeth fidgeted in the passenger seat of Jason's SUV as he pulled it to a slow stop at the top of the driveway. She unbuckled her seat belt and moved to open the door before his hand came down on her arm, stopping her movements.

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay?"

She turned towards him, the corners of her mouth turning upward. "No, you go. I'll be fine. I need to talk to my Gram anyway."

He frowned but still nodded anyway. His hand slid down her arm to squeeze her left hand for a second before be brought it back up to rest on the steering wheel. "Ok. I need to check in with Sonny. Milo's going to stay here with you."

The corner of Jason's mouth hitched upward, only a fraction of an inch. "I'll see you at… at home?"

Something warm spread across her chest at his words and her own mouth curved upwards. The vice that had tightened around her heart from the moment he'd proposed to her in the elevator at the Metro Court seemed to ease another fraction of an inch.

"I'll see you at home," Elizabeth echoed quietly. She gave him one last look before sliding out of the truck and making her way to the door. She knocked once, watching Jason watch her from his SUV before the front door opened and Audrey stepped out, drawing Elizabeth's attention away.

Audrey glanced at the SUV pulling out of the driveway, the corners of her mouth turning downward before her gaze flickered back to Elizabeth. "Come inside, darling. It's cold."

Elizabeth sighed heavily as she followed her grandmother into the house. Warmth greeted her as she glanced around the bright living room. "Where's Cam?"

Sitting down on the couch, Audrey tapped the seat next to her. "He's down for his nap…."

Nodding, Elizabeth eased out of her coat, slinging it over the back of the couch before sitting down. "He was good overnight?"

"He was an angel." Audrey raised her eyebrows expectantly. "Now that we've gotten past all the pleasantries… Are you going to tell me why Jason Morgan dropped you off here today?"

Sighing, Elizabeth wrapped her hands around her bulging belly. "You know I love you, Gram."

That seemed to be the last kind of start Audrey Hardy wanted to here, because the older woman let out her own heavy sigh. "Oh Elizabeth… I thought you'd grown out of that phase."

Elizabeth stiffened on the couch. "Phase?"

"The bad boy phase," Audrey clarified. "Jason Morgan is a known criminal and he's dangerous, Elizabeth."

"Gram…"

"Think of your children," Audrey continued. "Not just Cam, but this child you and Lucky are bringing into this world. You're a mother now, Elizabeth. Is it really a wise decision to invite Jason Morgan back into your life?”

Elizabeth's hand tightened on her belly. "He's more than just _invited_ back into my life, Gram. He's a part of it."

"But Elizabeth…"

Biting her lip, Elizabeth looked down. "He's a big part, Gram." She looked up at her frowning grandmother. "Jason's the father of my baby."

Audrey gasped, her hand raising to cover her mouth.

"We were married yesterday," Elizabeth continued. "Jason's going to protect us and we're going to raise both this baby and Cam… as…as a family."

"Oh, Elizabeth…"

Tears sprung to Elizabeth's eyes at the disappointment in her grandmother's voice. "I know you don't approve."

"It's not about my approval, dear," Audrey insisted. "It's about the fact that he's dangerous."

Elizabeth shook her head. "His life may be dangerous, but _he's_ not."

"But-"

"No," Elizabeth interrupted. "Jason said he can protect us to the best of his ability and I believe him. We'll be living at his Penthouse, and he's assigned guards."

Audrey shook her head sadly. "Guards and bulletproof windows don't always work, darling. Just look at Lily Corinthos, who died in a car explosion. Or Brenda Barrett, who was shot at in the shower. It's not safe, Elizabeth. For you or your children."

Shivering, Elizabeth wrapped her arms tighter around her body. "I thought I had safe with Lucky. I thought I was doing right by my son and the whole time, there were drugs in my home. Lucky was strung out around my child. Cam was in danger in the home I thought was safe!"

"But Elizabeth…"

"No!" Elizabeth repeated, louder this time. "I'm walking into this with my eyes open. I know the danger. I'm not ignoring it, but we are taking measures to lessen it as much as we can."

Sighing, Elizabeth brushed her hair out of her face as tears stung her eyes. "But I also know that danger can lurk, even in situations you thought were safe. I thought Lucky was safe and he blindsided me, Gram. Jason won't."

Audrey shook her head. "How can you have so much faith in a man so dangerous?"

"You don't know him like I do."

Audrey stared at her a moment longer before she stood from the couch. "Oh, Elizabeth… Then for your sake, and Cameron's, and your baby's… I hope you're right."

Audrey shook her head sadly. "I _pray_ you're right."

~*~*~*~*~

**~Greystone Manor~**

Greystone was quiet as Jason stepped through the door. He closed it carefully behind him as he looked towards the darkened living room.

Footsteps on the stairway caught his attention. His hand gripped the doorknob behind him as he watched Carly step carefully down the stairs, Sonny's dress shirt hanging loosely around her body. Sonny was two steps behind her, in his dark robe, and it took both of them a second before they noticed Jason at the base of the stairs.

For a moment, all three of them were taken back to that December, so long ago, when Jason had walked in on nearly the same thing.

Shifting by the door, Jason averted his gaze as Carly tugged on the shirt she wore.

"I didn't mean to interrupt," Jason said stiffly, his hand still on the doorknob. "But I needed to let you know about something."

Sonny frowned, stepping around Carly after they both reached the bottom of the stairs. "Carly, go back upstairs."

Jason shook his head. "It's not business."

If anything, that made Sonny's frown deepen as Carly perked with interest.

Jason cleared his throat. "I just… I needed you to know. Both of you. I… I was married yesterday."

Both Carly and Sonny's eyes widened.

Sonny lifted his hand in automatic congratulations. "You and Sam got married?"

Jason accepted Sonny's hand, even as he shook his head. "Not Sam."

Instantly, Carly's eyes narrowed. "Who the hell did you marry then? Oh God, please tell me Brenda Barrett's not back to torture us all."

Again Jason shook his head. "No… Elizabeth and I were married yesterday."

Once again Sonny's eyes widened, even as Carly stepped forward and shrieked.

"WHAT?!"

Sighing heavily, Jason held up his hand to stop her advance. "Carly..."

Carly's eyes narrowed. "Don't _Carly_ me. Why the hell would you marry Elizabeth Webber?!"

This time, it was Sonny who called out the warning. "Carly…"

"NO!" Carly cried out. She shook her head at Jason. "What the hell did that witch do to get her claws into you?!"

Jason sliced his hand through the air. "Stop it, Carly. Right now. Just stop."

Carly's eyes widened and her jaw dropped as the realization hit her. "That bitch!"

Jason's eyes narrowed. "I'm warning you, Carly."

Carly shook her head, more at herself than at Jason's words. "It's yours, isn't it. The baby's yours." Her voice got louder with each word. "The little muffin got pregnant with your baby and now you're stuck with her! She doesn't deserve you, Jase. And she sure as hell doesn't deserve to be having your child!"

She frowned when Sonny pulled at her. "Stop it, Sonny. He needs to hear-"

Sonny clamped his hand over Carly's mouth as he flashed an apologetic look Jason's way. Once again, he held out his hand to shake Jason's.

"Go home to your family, Jase," Sonny said quietly, as he held a struggling Carly in his arms.

Jason stared at Sonny a moment longer, and Sonny met his gaze before both men nodded. He spared a single look at Carly once before shaking his head. Turning on his heel, he stepped out of the house.

And he let to door slam shut behind him.

~*~*~*~*~

**~Penthouse 2~**

The sound of laughter greeted him, for the second time, as Jason stepped inside the Penthouse, closing the door behind him.

Spinelli had Cameron on his shoulders, the little boy holding fists full of the hacker's hair as they zoomed around the room. Cam giggled loudly, bouncing on Spinelli's shoulders in excitement as Spinelli skipped into the kitchen.

"Your humble steed will take you to the nectar of the God's, Pint Sized One!"

Laughing, Elizabeth pushed off the couch and stood as she watched Spinelli carry her child to the kitchen. "Don't you dare give him soda, Spinelli, or I'll make you take care of him for the rest of the night!"

Elizabeth shook her head before she turned towards Jason, her eyes bright as she grinned. "I don't know who's more of a handful, Spinelli or Cam."

Jason shrugged as he moved closer to her. "I'd say Spinelli."

Laughing, Elizabeth pushed her bangs to the side as she watched Jason approach. "You're probably right…" She cocked her head to the side. "You were gone for a while."

Jason didn't stop until he was right in front of her. "I stopped at Sonny's and then I had to make another stop before I came back."

His words made Elizabeth frown for a second before she shrugged. "Business, I guess. That's fine." She motioned towards the kitchen as she stepped back. "I was just going to start dinner soon."

Jason caught her before she could move too far away and Elizabeth's eyes widened in surprise. "Jason?"

He cleared his throat, holding onto her left hand as he reached into the pocket of his leather jacket. "It wasn't business."

"It wasn't?"

He hesitated for a second before he pulled the tiny box from his pocket. Elizabeth watched his movements, her eyes widening at the sight of the box. "Oh Jason… you didn't have to."

He frowned, cocking his head at her. "I told you I wanted to get you a ring."

His words made her blush and she shifted under his stare. "I know you did… And that means more than you probably realize, but you didn't have to. I mean, I don't _need_ a ring. Really. It-"

Jason let go of her hand to open the box and her words died in her throat as he pulled out the simple platinum band, embedded with three small diamonds.

"If you don't like it," he started, "I can get you another one."

She drew her bottom lip into her mouth as he carefully slid the ring onto her finger. Jason held his breath as he did so, her fingers curling around his hand after he'd slid the ring into place.

Jason swallowed. Emotion he was unprepared for slammed into him. "We… we're doing, this, right?"

She looked up at him and his breath caught in his throat. His heart pounded in his chest as he let himself indulge in raising her hand to his lips and pressing a delicate kiss to the ring she now wore. His lips tingled unexpectedly at the touch.

Tears pooled in her eyes but she had never looked more beautiful to him that she did in that moment, his ring on her finger, his baby growing in her belly.

Elizabeth nodded, barely moving, and her voice was such a soft whisper that if every fiber of his being hadn't been focused on her, he would have missed it. "We're doing this."

The need to kiss her slammed into him. It was hard and unexpected.

His hand came up on its own accord to cradle her face as he stepped as close as her belly would allow. She stared up at him and he hesitated only long enough to search her eyes for the command to stop before he lowered his head.

Their noses brushed and Jason paused again as their breath mingled. He watched Elizabeth's eyes drift shut as her hand came to rest against his. Her fingers curled into his and that was all the urging he needed before he closed the distance between them.

His lips met hers with just the faintest touch before he shifted, pressing firmer as his lips danced against hers. Her mouth opened beneath his and when his tongue slid against hers his chest expanded and he felt the same thing he'd felt the night of the blackout.

Completion.


	5. Gluttony

_For every success, there is a failure  
_  
_For every strength, there is a weakness  
_  
_For every virtue, there is a vice_  


**Part 5: Gluttony**

_ Gluttony _ _: The over-indulgence and over-consumption to the point of waste or excess. Most commonly, excess in eating or drinking Gluttonous behavior is characterized as greedy and insatiable._

**~Penthouse 2~**

Elizabeth moved carefully down the stairs, pausing at the last step as the sight before her took her breath away.

Jason stood by the couch, his back to her as he held Cameron's favorite stuffed monkey in his hands. Her heart lodged itself in her throat as Jason ran his hand, almost reverently, over the little stuffed animal's head. She must have made a noise when she stepped off the final step because he spun around, dropping the monkey onto the couch cushion next to him.

Clearing his throat, Jason rubbed his now empty hands against the legs of his jeans. "Everything ok up there?"

A small smile played on Elizabeth's face as she stepped forward. "Spinelli's got Cam playing a Blues Clues game on his computer." She stepped next to Jason, her heart beating a little faster when he reached out to touch her shoulder. "I can't figure out who's enjoying it more, Cam or Spinelli."

Jason snorted as he brushed his fingers down her arm before grasping her hand in his. "Probably Spinelli."

His touch sent a shiver down her spine as she followed his pull and sat down next to him on the couch. His knee brushed her leg as he turned to face her and when he raised his hand, only to hesitate a moment later, Elizabeth reached for it, guiding his hand to her belly.

"It's ok," she smiled as she watched his gaze drop to her stomach. "You can touch it. It's big and it's out there and Lord knows everyone else always touches it."

She watched him swallow hard before lifting his other hand up to her belly. He rubbed one hand against the side of her expanded stomach in a soothing circle, just as reverently as he'd held Cameron's monkey just a moment ago.

"I just…" Jason cleared his throat before trying again, as his gaze flickered to her. "I just wanted to make sure that you wanted me to touch you."

Elizabeth's breath caught in her throat when his eyes met hers as she worried her lip between her teeth and shrugged. "You're not touching me; you're touching our baby."

He cocked his head to the side and regarded her carefully. His hand stilled on her stomach but he didn't remove it.

"No…" Jason said finally. "No, I'm touching you."

Her chest contracted instantly at his words and it took Elizabeth a second to remind herself that Jason was probably speaking literally.

"Elizabeth?"

She shook her head at herself. "Yeah?"

Jason licked his lips. "Are you… are you ok with this?"

She smiled at him, pressing her own hands into his to keep his hands in place against her belly. "Yes, I already told you, Jason, it's ok for you to touch my belly."

His fingers curled into the fabric of her shirt. "No, I mean…" His eyes traveled around the room before looking back at her once more. "With _this_. Are you having second thoughts?"

Elizabeth blinked. "Are _you_ having second thoughts?"

He shook his head and Elizabeth let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

"No," Jason said quietly. "I told you I was in this. I meant it."

Elizabeth bit her lip. "Even though it means you can't be with Sam?"

Jason tensed. She felt it in the way his fingers flinched against her stomach. "Sam and I are over."

Elizabeth couldn't help but worry her lip some more. "But you love her. And now we're married, and going to raise a family together and… And I just… I want you happy, Jason."

"I… I am happy when I'm with you."

His words made her chest beat a little faster.

"I just don't want you to be uncomfortable," Jason continued. His hands started to move again over her belly.

Elizabeth shook her head. "Jason, I don't feel uncomfortable with you. Everything happened fast, and changed fast, and was definitely unexpected, but…" She shrugged. "But… it's you. And I've never been uncomfortable with you."

His shoulders seemed to relax slightly as her words.

"Do you remember the night of the blackout," Elizabeth started. "I didn't come here with the thought of sleeping with you. I just knew I needed you."

His eyes softened and he leaned forward. For a moment, she thought he was going to kiss her again, but instead he pressed his lips to her belly. He peered up at her, his chin grazing the spot he had just kissed and Elizabeth didn't think it was possible that she could love him more than she did at that moment.

"I needed you too," Jason whispered.

He cleared his throat as he straightened. "I didn't expect it either. But being with you… felt right. And once… once I kissed you, I couldn't stop touching you."

A small smile played on her lips. "I remember. Kind of like how you haven't stopped touching my stomach now."

He straightened a little and started to pull his hands away. "Is that ok?"

Elizabeth pressed his hands back in place as the corner of her mouth curved upward. She looked down at their joined hands on her belly.

"Yeah…" she drawled out slowly as she grinned at him. "The baby and I are definitely ok with that."

~*~*~*~*~

**~Bannister's Wharf~**

Lucky shivered as he jammed his hands into his pockets. His fingers bushed the empty bag in the front of his jeans and need slammed into him.

His father had forced him to get out of bed, forced him to eat, and forced him back into bed before heading to the hospital to check on Lulu. Luke had also taken his cell phone and his car keys, making Lucky feel like he was sixteen years old and being punished. Of course Luke Spencer would pick now to actually be a dad.

His teeth chattered in the cold as he scanned the docks. His usual hook up only met him when he called, but Lucky knew from working the streets that sometimes dealers lurked around the docks or Courtland Ave during the day.

Despite the cold, beads of sweat broke out across Lucky's forehead as he paced the docks. His fingers again brushed the empty bag in his pocket. He heard a noise behind him and spun around, his face dropping when he realized it was only Carly.

Carly's eyes narrowed on him. "What is wrong with you?"

Lucky shrugged, shifting on his feet. He pulled his hands out of his pockets to breathe into them, but they shook as he brought them up to his mouth.

Carly frowned. "You look like hell."

Lucky swallowed as he scanned the docks again. "I'm just cold. It's cold out."

She narrowed her eyes at him again before rolling them in disgust. "Oh god… I just don't get it. _What_ is her appeal?"

Frowning, Lucky shook his head. "What are you…"

"I mean, She's not even that pretty. She's a total muffin face," Carly continued. "And she's a user. She's a conniving bitch and yet here you are, looking all torn up and teary over the fact that you've lost her."

Lucky stiffened as his chest constricted. God he needed his pills. If he'd had his pills, Carly's words wouldn't hurt. "You don't understand."

"I understand that she had an affair, got knocked up, and lied for months about the paternity of her baby," Carly spat out. "She toyed with you and Jason and now she's got everything she ever wanted."

His stomach quivered.

"She has Jason and somehow that bitch managed to trap him in a marriage already."

Lucky recoiled. "They… They're not married yet." They couldn't be. He still had time. He had to have time.

Carly rolled her eyes. "You're precious Elizabeth works fast. They're not only already married, but she has already moved into his Penthouse with her little brat."

Lucky shook his head in disbelief.

"I… I need to go…"

Carly frowned at him, watching as he backed away from her. "What is wrong with you?"

"N-Nothing… I just need to go."

He stumbled up the stairs to the alley way. His hand dug into his pocket, catching hold of the empty bag. He balled it in his fast. Movement next to him caught his attention and Lucky watched the man coming towards him, his eye brightening when he recognized him.

"Hey," Lucky called out. He lowered his voice as the man turned towards him. "I… I need a hit. Please. I don't care what…Just please."

His throat felt like it was closing on him.

"Please… I just… I need some pills."

~*~*~*~*~

**~Penthouse 2~**

Elizabeth had made macaroni and cheese for lunch, but she was pretty sure more of it went into Spinelli's belly than Cameron's. Not that her little boy seemed to mind at all. Cameron had giggled at Spinelli all through lunch, and now seemed perfectly content and happy to have not only the young man's full attention, but Jason's as well.

Leaning against the pool table, Elizabeth crossed her arms over her chest. Cameron and Spinelli were sitting on the couch together, while Jason sat on the floor in front of Cam. Next to him sat Chuggin' Charlie, her son's favorite toy.

"Chuggin' Charlie gots to go up the mountain," Cameron recounted, his eyes wide as he told the tale with a seriousness that only a toddler could master. "To get home before dark."

"Dude," Spinelli drawled out. "Does the Charlie Chugger do it?"

On the floor, Jason rolled his eyes, but he smiled when Cameron giggled.

"It's _Chuggin' Charlie_." Cam giggled again before shaking his head at Jason. "Spelly always says it wrong."

Jason shrugged. "He says a lot of things wrong."

Spinelli's eyes narrowed. "Not cool, Stone Cold." He turned back to Cameron. "So does Chug Chug Chucky do it or no?"

Cam grinned. " _Chuggin' Charlie_ goes up the mountain. And he don't got to say, _I tink I can, I tink I can._ "

Spinelli's grin matched Cameron's. "The Jackal can totally see why the Chugster is the Pint Sized One's favorite toy."

Cameron beamed. "Santa gots it for me."

Elizabeth looked down at Jason and she found him staring back at her. A small smile curved the corners of his mouth upward, just barely noticeable, as he held her gaze, both of them remembering _Santa's_ gift to Cameron.

Pure happiness swelled in Elizabeth chest. They were an unusual group: a nurse, a mobster, a child, and a hacker. But they were just one day in and this already felt too good to be true. A part of her was waiting for the other shoe to drop because she hadn't expected it to be this easy.

But then again, it was Jason.

A smile of her own played on her lips and even the knock on the door, which interrupted all of them, couldn't bring her down.

Max opened the door and peeked his head in. Elizabeth watched him scan the room before his gaze came to rest on her.

"Mrs. Morgan… You have a visitor."

Before she could say anything, Max opened the door further and stepped to the side.

"DADDY!"

Elizabeth's mouth dropped open as Lucky stepped through the door. Cameron pushed off the couch and ran towards him. Instead of bending to greet the child, Lucky stared hard at her as Cameron plowed into him, wrapping his tiny arms around Lucky's legs.

"She… She was right," Lucky whispered in disbelief. "God… you… you do work… fast."

Elizabeth's mouth snapped shut and tears stung her eyes. "Lucky…"

Both Jason and Spinelli stood up and it was the hacker who stepped forward. "Pint Sized One, let's go play with my video games."

Cameron turned, but kept hold of Lucky's legs. "Daddy's here!"

Elizabeth's chin wavered but she tried to clamp down on it. "Cam, baby… Go with Spinelli."

Cam watched her for a minute before letting go of Lucky's legs. He grabbed Spinelli's outstretched hand. "Ok. Let's go, Spelly."

Elizabeth watched the two make their way up the stairs before turning back to Lucky, and only then did she let a single tear fall. "God, Lucky… are you high?"

Lucky stumbled by the door and his hand reached out to catch himself on the desk. "You… you did this to me… you… lying…bitch."

Jason's eyes narrowed and he took a step towards Elizabeth. "Don't talk to her like that."

"You don't get to defend her!" Lucky yelled out, his words slurred. "She was supposed to be mine… my wife… my baby…"

Elizabeth brought one hand to her belly while the other rested over her heart. "Lucky…"

"You took it from me," Lucky cried. "You did this to me."

Jason glared hard as he took a step towards Lucky. "You did it yourself."

"Fuck… you… fuck both of you." Lucky glared, but it was aimed at Elizabeth.

"It's your fault…" Lucky repeated. "It's your fault I couldn't be strong."

~*~*~*~*~

**~Jake's~**

Happy hour at Jake's began at four and when Sam stepped inside, there was only one other patron inside the bar. Both the man and Coleman turned toward her as she entered the dive, watching her weave her way around the empty tables before sliding up to the bar. She could feel them watching her, but she kept her eyes forward, scanning the bottles that lined the wall.

The man sitting at the end of the bar cleared his throat. "I'm gonna smoke. You got a light, Coleman?"

Out of the corner of her eye, Sam saw Coleman reach behind himself to throw a packet of matches on the bar. The man grabbed them, giving her one more curious look before stepping outside. Coleman wiped down the end of the bar before striding over to her, slinging his damp towel over his shoulder.

"What can I get you, little lady?"

Sam raised an eyebrow, sitting straighter on the stool. She stared straight ahead. "Whiskey."

Coleman whistled low through his teeth. "Isn't it a little early for whiskey?"

Sam slid her gaze over to him and glared. "Is it _ever_ too early for whiskey?"

Coleman shrugged at that, pulling two shot glasses from the rack behind him. He slammed both down onto the bar, filling them before sliding one Sam's way. She accepted it, clinking her glass to his before downing the shot in one swallow.

The whiskey burned down her throat in a fiery path before settling in her stomach and she closed her eyes at the sensation. Her hands tightened on the glass before she slammed it down on the bar.

"Another."

Coleman raised his eyebrows at her but still poured her another healthy shot. Sam played with it a moment, her fingers circling the lip of the glass as she watched the man who'd left to smoke come back in, throwing the matches onto the bar next to her. He stared right back at her as she tipped her head back and slammed down the shot.

This one burned more than the last and she winced. Her face flushed and her ears started to buzz but she welcomed it.

She closed her eyes, letting the glass roll against her lips. She heard the door open behind her, a sure sign of more patrons entering the bar, but she ignored it as she opened her eyes and placed the shot glass on the bar.

"Another."

Coleman hesitated, his eyes flickering around the bar before settling back on her. "Don't you think you'd better slow down, sweetness?"

Sam's eyes narrowed. "What I think is that you'd better get me another shot."

Coleman's gaze flickered over her shoulder, and Sam stiffened when she felt a hand come down against her back. She turned in the seat, her eyes hooded as she glared at the man next to her.

"Go away."

Sonny sighed as he dropped his hand from her back. He stared at the stool for a moment before brushing it off and sitting down. "I had a feeling I'd find you here."

"What do you care," Sam growled. She shook the empty shot glass to get Coleman's attention but he took one look at Sonny Corinthos before booking it to the other end of the bar. Sam glared at him as he walked away.

Sonny watched her before he leaned forward, pulling the glass out of her hand. "There was a time when our lives were connected. A time when we shared a baby."

Sam flinched at the mention of her baby girl. "I shared that baby with _Jason_ , Sonny. With Jason, not you."

Sonny hesitated, not knowing what to say. He watched Sam struggled with her emotions for a moment before she turned to him. When she did, there were tears in her eyes.

"He loved me," she whispered. "One minute he loves me, and the next he's playing house with Elizabeth Webber. I don't get it."

Shaking his head, Sonny reached for her, his hand brushing her shoulder. "I don't know the entire situation… But I do know that it's a complicated situation."

Sam snorted. "It's not complicated. He flipped a switch on me and all of the sudden he's with her."

"It wasn't a switch… Jason and Elizabeth… they have history. Longer history than most people realize." He rubbed his hand over his chin. "I don't even know all of it, but I know it runs deep."

Sam's hand gripped the edge of the bar. "Are you telling me that the entire time he was with me, he was really in love with her?!" She turned on him, her eyes flashing. "Are you trying to completely break my heart here? Are you trying to finish the job that Jason started?"

Sonny sighed. "I'm trying to make you understand."

Sam shook her head in disbelief. "By telling me that the man I love was in love with another woman the entire time he was with me?"

"I didn't say that," Sonny said quietly. "Only Jason knows for sure, but I don't think he was in love with Elizabeth when he was with you."

Sam's eyes narrowed. "You just said-"

"I think he cared about her," Sonny interrupted. "I think he even loved her, in some way, the entire time… but he _was_ in love with you."

Sam laughed bitterly. "Was. He _was_ in love with me. But now he has her." She shook her head and reached for the shot glass again, playing with it in her hands. "God, I hate him. I hate them both."

Sonny hesitated before standing. "Maybe… maybe you should get away for a while."

Sam stiffened. "Are you trying to get me out of town. What, to make it easier on Jason and Elizabeth?"

Sonny shook his head. "To make it easier on you, Sam. I told you they have history. A lot of it." He motioned to the bar they were in. "A lot of people don't know this… but Jason and Elizabeth met in this very bar."

Her chest constricted at his words as her fist clenched around her shot glass.

"I can give you money," Sonny said quietly. "I can set up an account for you."

"Trying to pay me off, Sonny," Sam sneered.

"You can start a new life," Sonny continued. "A fresh start."

He touched her again, high on her back just as he did when he walked in. Sam turned her head way from him, her knuckles turning white around the shot glass.

"Think about it," Sonny said quietly. He stood there a second longer than he needed to before he let his hand drop from her back and walked away. Sam listened to the sound of his steps, holding her breath until she heard the bar door close behind her.

She closed her eyes, gripping the bar for support. Her left hand brushed against the matches the smoker had thrown on the bar. She opened her eyes, gripping the small package.

Jake's Bar and Grill.

Her eyes narrowed. _Their_ first meeting place. She flipped the small booklet over in her hand so she couldn't see the logo of the bar anymore. On the back was a smiley face, which warned, _Don't drink and drive_.

Dropping the book of matches on the bar, she reached for her shot glass, catching Coleman's attention. He stared back at her as Sam licked her lips and raised an eyebrow.

"Another!"

~*~*~*~*~

**~Penthouse 2~**

Pure hatred raged in his chest. His head felt like it was in a delicious fog, but he could still see Elizabeth and he could still see how Jason stood protectively in front of her. And he hated it. Hated them.

"Lucky…" Elizabeth shook her head at him. "I never wanted for you to go back to drugs.

Liar. God, he hated liars.

"You did," Lucky insisted. He saw her tears and they made his chest hurt. God, the pills must not be working right if his chest hurt. He wasn't supposed to feel anything.

"You wanted this," Lucky spat out. "You fucking wanted this."

"Don't swear at her," Jason said quietly.

The sound of the other man's voice made the hatred boil up again. Lucky's eyes narrowed as rage roared in his chest. He like rage. Rage was good.

Rage was better than pain.

He launched himself at Jason and Jason blocked him. Lucky rocked back on his heels, trying to catch his balance but he felt like he was just a half of a step behind. He felt his feet go out from under himself as his head connected with the side of the desk.

And his only thought as darkness claimed him, was that even the darkness was better than pain.

~*~*~*~*~

**~Carly's House~**

Carly Corinthos was steaming mad.  
  
She slammed the front door shut behind her, storming into the living room so that she could throw her purse on sofa. Jax came out of the kitchen and smiled at her, and the sight of him made her chest pang with guilt.

God, she always screwed things up. And always with Sonny.

"Hey there," Jax said, stepping close to her. He pressed a quick kiss to her lips, one that was supposed to be soothing, but instead made her stomach tie up in knots. "You look upset. Everything ok?"

At his words, her anger came up again and she growled out loud. "I can't believe her!"

Jax's eyebrows raised to his forehead. "Who?"

Carly's eyes narrowed. "That manipulative tramp, Elizabeth Webber."

Jax stepped back in surprise. "Elizabeth Webber?"

Incensed, Carly stormed around the couch. "That witch! She wormed her way into Jason's life good this time, and I'm going to have to come up with something good to save him."

Stepping back again, Jax stiffened. "Jason."

"I mean, the nerve of her," Carly continued. "She lied for _months_. And people call _me_ horrible."

"Carly…"

She waved her hands in the air. "But she takes the cake! And I'm not going to let Jason-"

Jax stepped up and grabbed her shoulders. "Carly!"

Blinking, Carly stared up at him. "What?"

He shook his head at her. "Carly, you have to stop this."

"I know!" Carly said, "That's what I've been saying! Jason needs me to-"

"No, Carly," Jax tried again. "You need to stop butting into Jason's life like this."

Carly stopped short and stared up at him. "But-"

"No buts," Jax said firmly. He shook his head at her. "How are we supposed to start a life together if you can't stop obsessing about Jason Morgan."

She pulled back, hurt. "I'm not obsessing. He's my best friend."

Jax reached for her again. "I don't even think you realize that you do it, but we can't get through a conversation without you bring him up. Do you get how wrong that is? You're obsessive when it comes to him."

"I'm looking out for him," Carly countered, pulling away from Jax. "No one else does. He needs me."

"Jason's an adult, Carly. He can look out for himself."

"Well, he shouldn't have to," Carly pointed out, stubbornly. "That's what best friends are for. You just don't understand."

"You're right," Jax agreed. "I don't understand. I don't get your fixation with Jason Morgan."

Carly sighed, shaking her head at him. "Jax… Jason's the one person who's been there for me since the beginning. He's the only one who's never left me before."

Jax's eyes softened. "You just can't believe that I won't leave you, can you."

Carly stepped into his embrace. "It's not that, Jax… It's just sometimes I don't think I deserve you."

Jax leaned down and kissed her soundly. She melted into the kiss before pulling her head back to look at him.

"I know you won't leave me," she whispered.

Jax smiled, leaning in for another kiss. "Good."

Carly pulled back at the last second. "I just need to get that witch out of Jason's life. He'll thank me for it later. She'll try and keep him away from me if I don't do this and I couldn't handle that."

Jax groaned.

"And I wouldn't be able to handle it if I didn't have my best friend."

~*~*~*~*~

**~General Hospital~**

Their second night as a married couple, and Elizabeth was sitting in the General Hospital waiting room while her family, mismatched as it may be, was back at the Penthouse.

Max stood by the elevator doors, his ever watchful gaze always scanning the halls. Jason had insisted that he go with her and she could tell by the way he shifted every few seconds that he didn't the hustle and bustle of the hospital one bit.

Elizabeth shifted in her chair, peeking over at Luke. She'd called him as Max drove both her and an unconscious Lucky to the hospital but he hadn't said much since he arrived.

His hair had long since turned white and was thinning more than she knew he liked to admit. But Luke's loose perspective on life always made him seem younger than he really was.

But he looked old tonight.

The thought saddened Elizabeth as she swept her gaze over him. His wrinkles seemed more pronounced, his eyes seemed duller, and his stance, slumped against the wall, made her heart ache because it was a stance she'd never seen from him before.

He must have felt the weight of her stare because he turned his head towards her. No words were exchanged, but she shifted when his gaze dropped tellingly to the ring on her left hand. He met her stare once again, for just a moment, before turning back away from her. Elizabeth couldn't help but sag when he turned away.

"Luke? What's going on?"

Both Elizabeth and Luke turned and Luke pushed away from the wall to embrace his sister. "Oh Barbara Jean… I was hopin' you'd be able to tell me."

Bobbie held him tight, even as she looked at Elizabeth for an explanation. "What's going on? I just checked on Lulu, so I know it's not her."

Elizabeth stood, pushing off of her chair as Bobbie stepped towards her. "It's Lucky," Elizabeth whispered, ringing her hands together. "He… I brought him. He hit his head. Patrick's with him right now"

"Hit his head? How?"

"He stumbled," Luke said stiffly, reaching for her again. "He was a Morgan's Penthouse and he stumbled."

That made Bobbie frown. She looked over and Max before shaking her head at Elizabeth. "What's going on?" She pulled away from her brother to reach out to Elizabeth. "Why was Lucky at Jason's? How did he stumble? Did Jason push him?!"

Elizabeth immediately shook her head. "Jason didn't push him. Lucky… Lucky was high and he lost his footing."

Bobbie gasped, her hand coming up to cover her mouth. "High? Oh no…" She looked back at Luke before shaking her head. "I thought he was doing better. I thought he was kicking that."

Luke looked over at Elizabeth and again his gaze dropped to Jason's ring on her finger. Bobbie followed his gaze and her frown deepened as she looked back at Max again.

"He had a relapse," Luke said quietly.

Bobbie frowned. "A relapse. Why? He's got so much to fight for." Her eyes pleaded with Elizabeth. "He has you, and the baby you guys made together."

Elizabeth shifted under Bobbie's stare. To the side, Luke cleared his throat.

"What's going on?" Bobbie asked, looking between Elizabeth and her brother. "Someone tell me what's going on."

Luke's gaze jumped to Elizabeth. "He doesn't have her, and he doesn't have her baby to fight for."

Elizabeth couldn't help the tears that sprung in her eyes.

Bobbie started to speak, but Luke shook her off.

"Elizabeth… and her baby… are Jason Morgan's now."

Bobbie gasped. "But-"

"You bitch!"

All three adults turned, watching as an orderly pushed Lulu's wheelchair towards the waiting area. The young blonde's glare was focused solely on Elizabeth with such intensity that Max moved closer to the group.

"You cheated on my brother," Lulu started angrily. "And you got knocked up. And then you strung him along for as long as you could? You selfish bitch!"

Elizabeth stepped back, her hand coming to rest over her expanded belly.

"Lulu," Bobbie started, stepping towards the younger girl's wheelchair. She grabbed one of the handles. "Please calm down."

Lulu glared at her former sister-in-law. "I will not calm down! Not until that lying skank leaves!"

Elizabeth took a step towards Max.

"Lulu," Bobbie tried again.

"Lucky doesn't need her here," Lulu said, her voice louder. "He needs people here who love him, he needs family." Her eyes narrowed. "And Elizabeth clearly fits neither of those categories."

~*~*~*~*~

**~Cab~**

The world few by and watching it made her head spin even more than the whiskey so Sam closed her eyes. She leaned her head against the cold glass. It felt good against her flushed face. The cab slowed, but she barely noticed it.

In the front seat, the cabbie cleared his throat. "You ok, miss?"

Sam lifted her head and tried to focus on him. Her head started to pound, so hard that it made her reach for her temples and moan.

"Miss?"

It took her a moment to realize that they were stopped. She looked around, confused. "Are we here?"

The cabbie regarded her carefully. "Yup. Harborview Towers… Are you sure you're ok, miss?"

She clumsily searched her purse for cash. She didn't know how much she pulled out, but she threw all of the bills over the front seat to the cabbie.

A small smiled played on Sam's lips as she opened the cab door. She stumbled out, the cold air hitting her hard.

The cabbie called out to her through his open window. "Miss, I asked if you were ok."

"Yeah," Sam breathed out. "I'm ok. I'm home."

She looked up at the Towers. "This is _my_ home."

~*~*~*~*~

**~Penthouse 2~**

Cameron Webber babbled, just like his mother.

The kid rarely liked to sit in quiet. If he wasn't talking - usually about his favorite toys - he was making some kind of noise as he played. A revving noise when he played with toy motorcycles. A beeping noise when he played with his matchbox cars. A few well placed and loud grunts when he rough-housed. It didn't seem to matter, so long as it filled any silence in the room.

It must be, Jason mused, why Cameron had immediately taken to Spinelli. Because _that_ kid never shut up either.

Jason watched Cam splash around in the tub. To be fair, it had been Jason's suggestion to play with the toy motorcycles after Cam had asked him in awe if he really had a bike and if his Mommy had really ridden on it before. And it had been Jason who'd pulled out the matchbox cars, which Elizabeth had stored in a plastic bin too high for Cameron to reach. And it had been Jason who had started the rough-housing, with a few teasing tickles, just so that he could hear Cam giggle some more.

The bathroom door opened, and Jason shifted on his knees by the tub to watch Spinelli walk in. The boy had a bag of Mesquite BBQ chips in his hands and Jason frowned at it.

Spinelli took a seat on top of the closed toilet seat lid. "Is the Pint Sized One done with his nightly cleansing?"

Before Jason could respond, Cam yelled out from the tub. "I want chips, Spelly!"

Jason whipped his head around the glare at the young hacker as Spinelli wagged his greasy finger at Cam. "No can do, little one. Only grown up can eat chips whenever they please."

Jason's eyes narrowed. "Put the chips away, Spinelli."

In the tub, Cam giggled. "Uh oh…"

Spinelli turned towards his master. "But Stone Cold! The Jackal is hungry."

Jason shook his head at him. "No you're not. You just ate dinner. And we're in a bathroom. You don't eat in a bathroom."

Spinelli looked like he was going to argue for a moment before he grumbled and rolled the bag up. "Before Mrs. Stone Cold came, we consumed our life sustaining sustenance wherever we pleased."

Jason sent a sharp look Spinelli's way but the hacker ignored it.

"In fact," Spinelli continued. "The use of the kitchen table is just one of the many changes the Jackal has noticed since Mrs. Stone Cold became Mrs. Stone Cold."

Ignoring him, Jason lathered up Cam's wash cloth with soap from a Power Rangers bottle.

"The Jackal has noticed changes in his Sensei, specifically."

Jason huffed as he worked the soapy wash cloth over the little boy. Cam giggled at him and mimicked him, letting out a huff of his own.

"Stone Cold?"

"What are you getting at, Spinelli?" Jason asked in exasperation as he reached for the shampoo in the red and blue Spiderman bottle.

Spinelli stood, crossing his arms over his chest. "Just what exactly are your intentions towards Mrs. Stone Cold."

Jason raised an eyebrow. "My intentions?"

"Yes, intentions." He hesitated for a second, lowering his voice a notch. "Are they… are they honorable."

"Spinelli…" Jason started.

Spinelli ignored the warning in Jason's voice. "Do you intend to honor her, and cherish her, and… and love her?"

"That's none of your business."

"Do you?"

"Drop it, Spinelli."

"But Stone Cold…"

In the tub, Cam giggled, trying to glare just like Jason was. "Jason says drop it, Spelly." He nodded in all seriousness, his giggles gone. "And Mommy says I gots to listen to Jason or else it's a time out!"

"But Stone Cold!"

Cam splashed his fist into the water. "Time out, Spelly!" He peeked over at Jason. "Right? Spelly gets time out?"

Jason nodded at Cam. "Yes. Spinelli gets a time out." He turned his head to glare at Spinelli. "And go put those chips away!"

Spinelli sputtered for a moment before snatching the chips off of the sink counter. He jabbed his free hand in the air before heading towards the door.

"Not cool!"

In the tub, Cameron giggled again. "Time out!"

~*~*~*~*~

**~General Hospital~**

Dr. Patrick Drake frowned as he headed towards the E.R. waiting room. There was some kind of confrontation going on between Lulu Spencer and Elizabeth Webber, and the sight of the pregnant nurse's pale face made Patrick speed up his steps.

"-Elizabeth clearly fits neither of those categories."

There was pure venom coming out of Lulu's mouth and to hear it aimed at Elizabeth made Patrick's eyebrows jump up.

Patrick cleared his throat and everyone turned to face him. "I have information on Lucky Spencer's condition."

Lulu glared up at him. "Make Elizabeth leave first. She's not family."

Luke straightened, sighing heavily. "How is he, doc?"

Patrick met Elizabeth's gaze. "He's conscious. He suffered a contusion to the head and has a mild concussion. He'll need to stay overnight for observation."

Lulu let out a sigh of relief. "He's ok then?"

Patrick frowned. "I said he was conscious, but I wouldn't say he's ok. He's not going to be ok unless he starts making some changes in his life. That starts with stopping his drug use."

Luke sighed, sagging against the wall again but Lulu glared fiercely at Elizabeth. "He had stopped until _she_ made him start using again."

Patrick narrowly resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the teen. "Unless Elizabeth tied him down and forced the pills down his throat, culpability lies with your brother."

Lulu looked like she was going to speak again, so Patrick continue before she could start up. "As I said, he needs to stop his drug use. That means rehab. Amber Road is a great local facility but some of the top notch rehab centers are located in California, Utah, and Colorado." He turned towards Luke. "I'll have one of the nurses give you information on some of the best centers."

Again Lulu looked like she was going to speak, so again, Patrick kept going. "I'm the attending on duty tonight so I have other patients that need my attention. Lucky's being transferred to a room. Once he's settled, you'll be able to see him."

He raised an eyebrow at Elizabeth. "Nurse Webber? I know you're not on duty right now, but may I speak with you for a moment?"

Patrick wasn't about to take no for an answer so he turned on his heel, pretty much forcing her to follow him away from the Spencer clan. Once they rounded the nurse's hub, with the big pile of muscle following close behind, he looked at her expectantly.

Elizabeth sighed heavily, pushing her bangs out of her face. "Don't start Patrick."

That made him raise an eyebrow at her. He'd only looked at her and already she was telling him not to start, like she knew what he was thinking or something. "I didn't say anything!"

She peeked back at the Spencer group, and looked more than a little miserable before she shook her head, caught the attention of her muscled shadow, and moved towards the exit.

The sliding glass doors slid open as the three of them walked through the doorway. The Ogre crossed the threshold before Elizabeth, his eyes scanning the parking lot.

Patrick nudged Elizabeth's shoulder as they stepped outside. The wind hit him hard and he jammed his hands into his lab coat pockets. "You want to talk about it?"

Elizabeth shook her head, looking up as a siren sounded. Both Patrick and Elizabeth watched a fire truck and ambulance speed by the hospital.

"I just want to go home," Elizabeth sighed tiredly.

Patrick nodded. He gave her another nudge with his shoulder and let it drop, saying his goodbyes as she stepped off of the curb with her Ogre and headed towards the staff parking lot. He watched her go before turning on his heel and heading back inside the E.R.

On his way in, Nurse Crowell rushed by him, pulling her hair up into a messy ponytail before she stripped off her winter jacket to reveal her scrubs. Patrick nodded at her as she rushed towards the locker room.

"Dr. Drake, dispatch just called. There are multiples coming in!"

Patrick sighed as he rushed after her. Nadine threw her jacket into her locker before moving towards the door. Patrick accepted the yellow protective drape she handed him.

Despite the situation, he flashed her his dimples as she put her own drape on. "Never a dull night at GH."

~*~*~*~*~

**~Penthouse 2~**

Her key - the one she'd never given back - slid into the door easily. It jammed for a second, just like it always did, before the lock gave way and the doorknob turned under the pressure of her hand.

The living room was dark, but the kitchen light had been left on, and that provided just the light Sam needed to move around. She stumbled a few steps, her foot getting caught on some insanely large toy train. She glared at it and kicked it as she made her way towards the liquor cabinet.

The cabinet was locked, which was odd because Jason never kept it locked, so it took her a moment to remember where he kept the key. Once she got it open though, she peered inside, ready to pick her poison. A fresh bottle of Jack Daniels was right in the front and she smiled as she opened it.

Her steps were clumsy as she moved around the living room with her bottle, but she didn't stumble like before. She glanced around the room, her eyes coming to rest on the couch.

Had _they_ fucked there?

She tipped the bottle, letting the liquor splash over the leather couch. She doused the back of it as well. Maybe he'd bent her over the back of it.

She slowly made her way over to the pool table, narrowing her eyes. Had _they_ slept together on that? She tipped the bottle again, watching as the whiskey stained the green felt.

Maybe that's where _they'd_ conceived their love child.

She kept the bottle tipped at an angle as she made her way to the desk, letting the whiskey make a trail across the floor. She splashed some on the desk as she wondered if they had done it there as well.

Once the bottle was empty, she threw it on the ground. Her hand tightened into a fist by her side.

"Ex-Goddess Samantha?"

Sam stumbled as she spun around. She frowned when she saw Spinelli on the stairs, a bag of chips in his hand. He stared at her and took a step back, his foot hitting the next step.

Spinelli's eyes widened. "What are you doing here?"

Sam cocked her head to the side. It was throbbing now, a steady pulse that matched the racing of her heart. "Jake's Bar and Grill."

Spinelli frowned, retreating back another step. "The Ex-Goddess is not being clear."

Sam raised her fist, opening it, and a small smile played on her face when she saw the smiley face up in her hand. "Don't drink and drive."

The strike of the match sounded like a gunshot as Spinelli's mouth fell open in silent surprise. Before he could utter a single word, Sam flicked the lit match onto the floor and walked out the door.

~*~*~*~*~

**~Elizabeth's Car~**

Max kept peeking at her.

He looked over at her before pulling out of the GH staff parking lot. And he glanced at her every time he hit a stop sign or a red light. And every once in a while, while driving, he'd pretend to adjust the rearview mirror but Elizabeth knew he was really checking on her.

"I'm ok," Elizabeth said quietly.

This time, she's the one who did the peeking and she watched the blush rise on her cheeks. Max shrugged, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Lulu Spencer talks out of her ass."

Elizabeth laughed, despite herself and the situation. "She's being protective of her brother," she said finally, once she'd sobered.

Max shrugged again, tilting his head to check his side mirror. "That doesn't give her the right to go off on you like that. You didn't deserve that."

"I did a little bit," Elizabeth said quietly.

Max opened his mouth to respond but whatever he was going to say died on his lips as he caught sight of the red and blue flashing lights in his rearview mirror. He tensed, easing Elizabeth's tiny Civic to the side of the road.

Instead of stopping behind them, the cop cruiser sped past, their lights flashing and their siren on. Elizabeth watched it go, the lights illuminating her face as the baby delivered a sharp kick to her ribs.

She gasped, clutching her side. Max looked over at her with wide-eyed concern. "Are you ok?"

Elizabeth nodded, wincing when the baby kicked her again. "I'm ok, I'm ok. The baby's just kicking."

Max didn't look convinced. "I can turn us back around and we can go back to the hospital."

Elizabeth immediately shook her head. "No, no… It's ok. Babies kick." She smiled at him, even as the baby kicked her in the ribs once more. "I just want to get home, Max."

He regarded her carefully before nodding, easing the car into drive again. He peeked at her every once in a while again.  Traffic was worse than usual, and about two blocks from the Towers, Max eased the car to a stop. Elizabeth frowned at all of the red break lights in front of them and she shifted in her seat, restless to get home.

"Maybe it's a car accident, Mrs. Morgan," Max mused. He tried to sit straighter to see ahead, but as it was, his head almost hit the top of Elizabeth's tiny car. "I think I see that cop car that passed.

The baby kicked her again as Elizabeth rolled down her window to see what the hold up was. The smell of smoke filled her nostrils and made her pause. The traffic light up ahead turned green but the break lights in front of them remained lit and the traffic didn't move.

Max frowned. "Close your window, please."

Elizabeth's stomach dropped as the wind changed and she smelled the smoke again. Her chest contracted and her hand was on the door handle before she could even form a coherent thought. She threw open the door and hurried out of the car.

Car horns beeped around her as she weaved between the cars. She kept one hand cradled under the heaviest part of her belly as she did her best to run. Elizabeth heard Max call out for her but she ignored it as she raced in the direction of the Towers.

The smoke got thicker as she rounded the corner, but it was the sight of the angry, fiery blaze that sent her rocking back on her heels. Her eyes widened as she watched licks of flame shoot out from the broken upper windows of the Towers.

Her knees buckled beneath her as she felt the wind get knocked out of her. She started falling backwards, but two strong, sturdy hands caught her.

"Mrs. Morgan!"

Elizabeth's eyes were frantic as she scanned the growing crowd on the sidewalk opposite the Towers. Her eyes filled with tears and she wiped at them furiously, desperate to search the faces of the people around her.

The strength of the fire broke another window and the crash made her flinch. The fire roared through the building, matching the roaring in her ears.

Her knees buckled again and her legs collapsed. Max eased her down until she collapsed to her knees on the sidewalk.

The fire reflected in her watery eyes as she stared up in disbelief.

"No… God no…."


	6. Wrath

_For every success, there is a failure  
_  
_For every strength, there is a weakness  
_  
_For every virtue, there is a vice_  


**Part 6: Wrath**

_ Wrath _ _: Uncontrolled and unrestrained feelings of anger and hatred. These intense feelings can manifest as denial and the desire for revenge, often outside the law. Wrath,  
therefore, often leads to the sin of vengeance. In its original form, wrath also encompasses anger directed internally._

**~Outside Harborview Towers~**

"Mrs. Morgan… Mrs. Morgan, please."

Max's arms tightened around her shoulders, but Elizabeth barely felt it. Her skin felt two-times too small, and she shivered, despite the heat blowing at her from the burning building.

She didn't register the snow seeping through the knees of her pants, or the officers and officials moving frantically around her. She never noticed the back spray from the fire hoses, which seemed to be doing little against the raging fire, or the way Max tried to half carry, half drag, her out of their range.

Instead, her eyes remained locked on the burning building in front of her, the flames capturing her attention and refusing to let go. Unchecked tears fell from her eyes as she vainly searched the broken windows of the top floor for some kind of clue as to where her family was.

Max pulled her closer and Elizabeth could tell by the way he held her that she was scaring him. She felt the tremors pulse through her body, shaking her to her core.

"Mrs. Morgan, please stand up," Max said softly into her ear. He pulled on her again, trying to be gentle as he could and urge her onto her feet.

A piece of a balcony broke away from the building, teetering a moment before falling through the air. Concrete and cast iron crashed heavily into the balcony below, creating a chain effect.

Max used all of his strength to awkwardly pull her to her feet. Elizabeth knew he wanted her to stand, wanted her to get out of the snow and further away from the building, but the sight of the fire before her made her unable to think about anything but the three people she'd left behind in that Penthouse.

She felt her feet leave the ground a moment before part of the balcony crashed into the base of the building. The noise was near deafening and Elizabeth's heart nearly stopped as the building groaned back in response.

Max turned his back to the building, taking Elizabeth with him and blocking her view. Coming to life, Elizabeth frantically fought against his hold, desperate to keep her eyes on the destruction of the fire.

"No! Let me go!" She bucked in his arms, kicking wildly at his shins.

"Mrs. Morgan, please," Max pleaded with her, keeping his voice soft and even as he struggled to hold her. "You don't need to see this."

Panic rose in her chest, choking her as she tried punching at his chest. He held her tight, his hold unbreakable, and Elizabeth sagged against him as a sob of desperation erupted from her chest. "Oh, God…"

"Elizabeth?"

Her head flew up, her eyes frantically searching until they came to a stop on the man hurrying towards her.

Cruz Rodriguez knelt in front of her. His jacket was open and ash from the fire dusted his normally dark hair. "Elizabeth, what are you doing here?"

His eyes dropped down to her belly and he frowned. Elizabeth clasped her arms protectively around her stomach and she couldn't help the sob that shook her body.

"Oh God… I need… Please, you have to tell me…"

He frowned at her, his eyes darting behind her to fall on Max. Max's hands tightened around her shoulders.

"Elizabeth," Cruz said slowly. "You shouldn't be here."

She grabbed his hand, her fingers digging into his own. "Please, you have to tell me… have there been survivors?"

Cruz ignored her, using her hold on him to pull her up to her feet. Max moved with her, refusing to let go of her shoulders.

"You shouldn't be here, Elizabeth," Cruz repeated. He glanced again at Max, his eyes narrowing. "I can call Lucky for you. And have a squad car take you to him."

She flinched, her hand shaking. Cruz tightened his grip on her. "My… My family was up there… Please! I need to know if they've pulled out survivors!"

Cruz's eyes widened and he immediately turned his head to the raging fire. "Lucky was in there? Why?!"

Elizabeth followed his gaze, her eyes connecting once more with the fire as panic closed down on her throat. Behind her, Max shook his head.

"Not Spencer. He's not her family anymore."

Cruz frowned, glaring hard at Max. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Elizabeth turned back to the detective, gripping his hand a little tighter. "Jason. Jason was in there. And Spinelli." She tried to swallow her sob but it came out anyway. "And Cameron… They were watching Cam."

Cruz's eyes widened and for the first time he saw the ring on the hand he held. It glittered back at him and his mouth fell open as he stared at Elizabeth. Almost immediately, he shook his head sadly at her.

"Elizabeth… not you… tell me you haven't…"

She pulled her fingers from his grasp to wipe frantically at the tears on her face. "Cruz, please! You have to find out for me… I need to know."

A fresh round of tears hit, replacing the ones she'd just wiped away as her chin wobbled. "My baby boy was up there… and my family… Please!"

He watched her a moment longer, with his sad, disappointed eyes, and for a moment she thought he wasn't going to help her. But he cleared his throat, looking around before calling out to one of the officers manning the scene.

"Gutierez! Do you have the lists of evacuated apartments?"

The man nodded and made his way over as Cruz turned to her.

"This is the best I can do," he said quietly. "And I can't guarantee it's completely accurate."

Elizabeth nodded, not really hearing him as she watched Officer Gutierez step up in front of her. She held her breath as she tried to keep her chin from trembling. Behind her, she felt Max grab her elbow.

"Penthouse 2, right?" Cruz asked softy, despite the fact that he knew exactly what Penthouse Jason Morgan lived in.

Elizabeth nodded and her voice broke when she softly whispered. "Penthouse 2, on the 16th floor."

Gutierez scanned the list that he had on his clipboard for what seemed to be forever. Elizabeth's hand came up to cradle her belly as the baby kicked.

"Penthouse 2…" Gutierez nodded a moment later and the air rushed out of Elizabeth's body in one heavy sigh of relief.

"Yes," Gutierez nodded again. "Two people from Penthouse 2 were taken via ambulance to GH not too long ago. Maybe fifteen minutes."

Elizabeth turned to Max, her heart breaking as she brought a shaky hand up to her chest over her heart.

"Only two?"

~*~*~*~*~

**~General Hospital, 10th Floor - Room 1014~**

Lucky strained against the restraints which held him to the hospital bed. A sheen of sweat covered his body, making his hair stick to his forehead as another wave of nausea hit him hard.

"Please… please untie me."

Lulu rolled her wheelchair as close to the bed as she possibly could. She reached for Lucky's hand but it remained clenched in a firm first under her touch. "Lucky, it's going to be ok."

He shook as he turned his head towards his little sister. "Untie me, Lulu."

She shook her head sadly. "Oh Lucky, you know I can't."

He bit his lip, closing his eyes against the pain. "Please, Lu… please. Just let me out."

Lulu shook her head. She tried reaching for Lucky's hand again but he jerked so violently in the restraints that she pulled back.

A tear dropped as she pulled away from her brother. "You're going through withdrawal, Lucky. You're here for your own good."

Lucky clenched his teeth, trying to stop the shaking. "I'm strong enough on my own, Lu. I don't need to be tied up." He pleaded with her. "Please untie me."

"Oh Lucky…" Her fingers hesitated over the buckles on the restraints.

"Don't do it, darling."

Jerking back, Lulu turned in her wheelchair, her gaze falling on her father. Luke pushed away from the doorway but kept his arms crossed over his chest.

"Don't even think about letting him loose. That's the last thing Cowboy needs."

From the bed, Lucky glared at his father. "You don't… don't know what I need."

Luke raised a sandy eyebrow as he stepped further into the hospital room, his hands coming to rest on the handles of Lulu's wheelchair. "I'm bettin' you need a pill right now."

Lucky swallowed, averting his eyes as he yanked on the restraints. Luke watched his son struggle, shaking his head sadly before wheeling his daughter out of the hospital room. Lulu remained silent the entire time until they exited the room. Once in the hall, she rounded in the chair, glaring at her father.

"Why can't you just support him, Dad?"

Luke steeled his gaze straight ahead as he wheeled his daughter towards her hospital room. "I am supporting him, darling."

Lulu rolled her eyes, turning straight in the chair. "You're not really though. You're not really on his side. I think you're punishing him, and I can't quite figure out why."

Luke stopped the wheelchair, moving to stand in front of it. "I am on Lucky's side."

Lulu's eyes narrowed. "You're not, really. You're being too hard on him. He needs you to tell him that you're supporting him, not for you to yell at him. You're not saying the things he needs to hear."

"Sometimes, darling, the one thing that you need to hear is that you were wrong." Luke shook his head sadly.

"And Lucky's wrong right now. He's all wrong."

~*~*~*~*~

**~Harborview Penthouses, One Hour Earlier~**

Cameron carefully stepped out of the tub, holding tight to Jason's hand with his pruned fingers so that he wouldn't slip on the tiled floor. He giggled when Jason threw a fluffy white towel over his head and he rubbed at his hair like a big boy before peeking out from behind the white cotton.

"Do I gots to go to bed now?"

Jason nodded, handing Cam a fresh pair of Spiderman boxers. "Afraid so. Mommy said. And I wouldn't want to beak one of her rules my first night watching you."

Cameron pondered the answer for a second before nodding in all seriousness. "Mommy would be really mad if you broke her rules."

"Especially on the first night," Jason added as he helped Cameron get into his Power Ranger pajamas.

"Maybe next time you watch me, I can stay up late?" Cam asked as Jason scooped him up in his arms.

The simple question made his breath catch in his throat, and Jason couldn't help the small smile that turned up the corners of his mouth. He shook his head, loving it when Cam pouted and dropped his own head to Jason's shoulder.

"No… but maybe the third time."

He reached for the bathroom door, frowning at how warm the doorknob was. Something tightened inside his stomach as he smelled, for the first time, the smoke. His first thought was that Spinelli must have burned something again in the kitchen, but he touched the door again, not liking the heat coming through.

Too much heat for even Spinelli's clumsiness to cause.

Kneeling, Jason steadied Cameron's feet carefully on the ground as he tried to keep his voice as light as possible. "Cam, can you do something for me?"

Cam look up at him, full of questions and trust, and Jason felt that something flicker again in his stomach.

He clamped down on it, swallowing hard. "I need you to take your towel and washcloth and go put them in the tub. Get them nice and wet."

Cameron frowned, his nose crinkling. "In the dirty water?"

Jason touched the door and it felt even hotter. "I know, buddy, but please. Do it quick, ok?"

Cam hesitated for only a second before he shrugged and headed towards the tub, pushing his used towel and washcloth into the water with a splash.

Jason watch him carefully, touching the door again only to pull back when the door slammed open and Spinelli came bursting in.

"Stone Cold!"

Spinelli took one look at Cameron, who stood wide-eyed by the tub, before lowering his voice. "Inferno in the lower quadrant!"

Jason's eyes narrowed, even as he moved towards Cameron to pull the wet washcloth out of the tub. He didn't bother ringing it out. "What did you burn?"

Spinelli shook his head, almost violently so. "I didn't! It was malicious arson on the part of the Ex-Goddess, Samantha!"

Jason's head snapped up, and he swallowed hard at the serious look on Spinelli's face. "How bad?"

Spinelli didn't even have to answer. He looked once at Cameron and that look said it all, spurring Jason into motion.

Shoving the washcloth towards Spinelli, Jason bent again, pulling the towel out of the tub as he knelt by Cam.

"Cam… Do you know what the firemen say about fire?"

Wide eyed, Cam nodded his head. "Smokey the Bear says to put out your camp fires."

Jason nodded, quickly wrapping the soaking towel around Cameron from head to toe. "Right, because if you don't it can cause a big fire, right?"

Cam's eyes widened even more as he squirmed against the wet cotton. "Is there a fire?"

Standing with Cameron in his arms, Jason headed towards the door. "It's going to be ok. I'm going to get you out of here and this towel is going to keep you safe."

Instinctively, Cam put his head on Jason's shoulder and Jason used his free hand to make sure the wet towel covered the little boy's head. "It's a magic towel?"

Jason nodded, cradling Cam carefully as he stepped out of the bathroom and the heat hit him hard. "It'll keep the fire from getting at you."

Cam nodded against Jason's shoulder. "Where's Spelly's magic towel?"

"He has a washcloth." Frowning, Jason turned back to Spinelli, making sure the younger man was following. "Put that over your mouth."

Spinelli did as he was told, stepping so close that he held onto the bottom of Jason's t-shirt as they headed down the stairs.

"Where's your magic towel, Jason?" Cam asked, his voice muffled as he spoke into Jason's neck. Jason didn't answer as the three of them came down to the bottom step of the stairs.

The fire had consumed the lower level of the Penthouse, the orange flames licking their way around the living room. The couch was completely engulfed and the pool table had cracked down the center, the flames howling.

Jason didn't hesitate as he cradled Cameron tighter and stepped through the fire. He checked once to make sure Spinelli was following before kicking the Penthouse door open. It cracked easily under his pressure and he coughed as the smoke followed them, billowing out into the hallway.

The sound of the door breaking made Cameron scream and the little boy lifted his head from Jason's shoulder just as they made their way towards the stairwell doors. He caught sight of the burning Penthouse and screamed again, struggling for the first time in Jason's arms.

"Chuggin' Charlie!"

Cam fought against Jason's hold, kicking away the wet towel as he held his arms out for his favorite toy. Spinelli was breathing hard as he came up beside Jason, putting his hand on Cam's shoulder.

"It's ok, Cam," Jason said, calmer than he thought he had in him at the moment as he shouldered open the stairwell door. The air was clear in there and he coughed again as he sucked it in.

Cam cried, a full out wail. "Chuggin' Charlie! He doesn't have a magic towel!"

"I'll get you another Charlie," Jason said running down the stairs, Spinelli's steps echoing behind him.

Cam cried again, frantic as he pushed against Jason's chest. "Santa got me Charlie! Chuggin' Charlie needs me!"

"I'll get him, Pint Sized One. I'll get the Chugster."

Jason was so focused on getting down the stairs as fast as he could that he nearly missed Spinelli's words. He spun on the landing of the stairs, swearing under his breath as he caught sight of Spinelli running _up_ the stairs instead of down them.

"Spinelli! NO!"

He heard the stairwell door open again and a burst of warm air billowed in, followed by smoke thick enough to make both Jason and Cam cough. The door slammed shut again and Jason swore again, hesitating only a second before heading down the stairs, running faster this time.

In his arms, Cam cried louder.

He made it down the first floor faster than he'd thought possible. Emergency crews were pulling into the parking lot and Cam snuggled in his arms at the sound of the sirens as Jason stepped out into the fresh air.

"Jase!"

Turning, he caught sight of Ritchie and Stan running towards him. The bodyguard stripped off his coat and handed it to Jason before he even had to ask as Jason quickly wrapped it around Cam's shaking, wet form.

"What the hell happened?" Stan asked, blowing into his hands.

"Jase," Ritchie said quietly. "Milo was doing a floor check. He hasn't come out yet."

Stan's eyes were wide. "Mrs. Morgan and Spinelli weren't home, were they? They're not still up there, are they?"

Jason frowned, his eyes back on the building as he transferred Cameron to Stan's arms. "Take him."

Cam cried out for him but Jason put his hand over the little boy's wet curls. "Stay with Stan, Cameron… He… His mom works with your mom."

Cam's chin wobbled. "Where's Spelly and Charlie?"

Jason swallowed, already stepping back towards the building. "I'm going to get them… I'll get them."

Cam cried, not bothering to fight it as Stan urged Cam's head onto his shoulder. He tightened Ritchie's coat around the little boy's wet pajamas as he turned away from the burning building.

Turned away so that the little boy wouldn't have to watch Jason run back inside.

~*~*~*~*~

**~Elizabeth's Car~**

Cam and Jason.

Her heart pounded in her chest as Elizabeth leaned her forehead against the passenger side window. It had to be Cam and Jason. She knew Jason wouldn't leave her child in a burning building. But the idea of Spinelli left alone in the penthouse made her heart break, because in the two days since she'd become Mrs. Stone Cold, he'd wormed his way into her heart.

Jason and Spinelli.

Biting her lip, Elizabeth gave into weakness and let a tear make its way down her cheek. Logic told her that it was possible that those two had made it. Her son could have been sleeping, could have been blocked in. So many things could have happened, and her baby would have no idea what to do, where to go, or who to turn to.

The thought that Cameron had been the one not to make it out started a fresh round of tears, and she hugged her belly tight, crying against the cool window as she sent a silent prayer upward for her little boy.

Spinelli and Cameron.

Her heart knew deep down that it was a very good possibility that those two had been the two to make it out. The thought made Elizabeth bite her lip as her blood ran cold. She knew without a doubt that Jason would do everything he could to get the others out first.

After all, she'd watched first hand as he'd run into a burning building before.

"Oh god…"

Max let go of the steering wheel with one hand to place it on her shoulder, but Elizabeth barely felt it. "Mrs. Morgan?"

She tried to stop her tears, but they came anyway, but she bit down on her lip to keep from sobbing out loud.

"Mrs. Morgan," Max continued again. "We're going to be at the hospital soon and we can get answers. I've called Sonny and he's meeting us there."

He peeked at her again, just for a second before looking back at the road. "It's going to be ok. You'll see… Everything's going to be ok, Mrs. Morgan."

Elizabeth bit down hard on her lip, tasting the metal tang of blood. She didn't have it in her to tell him he was wrong, but she knew better.

She knew nothing was ok, and that nothing was going to be the same after tonight.

~*~*~*~*~

**~General Hospital - 8th Floor~**

Cameron Webber was snotting on his shoulder and Stan Johnson had no idea what to do about it.

The child had cried, pathetic hiccup cries, the entire ride to General Hospital. He'd begged for his mother, cried for Jason and Spelly - who Stan could only assume was Spinelli - and whispered alternately for some guy named Charlie.

By the time Stan had entered GH, Cam had settled snuggly in his arm, his head on Stan's shoulder, and by the looks of it, the little kid had no intention of moving anytime soon.

The elevator doors slid open and Stan sighed a long sigh of relief when he finally, after eight tries, saw his mother standing in the nurse's hub. He just about ran to the hub, Cameron in his arms.

"Mom! Thank God!"

Epiphany looked up from her file, her eyes narrowing not on her son but on the little boy he held in his arms. "Stanford? What's going on?" She frowned, reaching out to touch Cameron's curls. "Is that Cameron Webber?"

Stan shifted, sitting Cam on the edge of the hub. "Haven't you heard? There was a fire at the Towers."

Epiphany's eyes widened. "I've been working this floor all night… Oh God, Elizabeth?"

Stan shook his head immediately. "No, not Elizabeth, but… but was…" He lowered his voice, peeking at Cameron. "Any news on Jason and Spinelli?"

Epiphany cast a sad look Cameron before moving in front of the computer, her fingers clicking against the keys.

Not meaning to, Stan found himself holding his breath as his mom checked the hospital computer.

"They were brought in not long ago," Epiphany breathed out. "They've both been admitted to the ER."

Stan let out the breath he'd been holding as he nudged Cam. "Did you hear that buddy? Jason and Spelly - Spinelli - are right downstairs."

Cameron lifted his head, rubbing the back of his hand across his face. "I want them," he whispered, more than a little pathetically.

Adjusting the little boy in his arms, Stan nodded. "I know… We'll head down, ok?"

Epiphany frowned. "Stanford, are you sure that's wise. Who knows what… what condition…"

Cameron cried at Epiphany's softly spoken words, his head once again coming to rest on the shoulder of Stan's Hawaiian shirt. Stan frowned.

"The kid just wants his family, Mom. I've got to take him to them."

Stan moved away from the hub, ignoring his mother as she called out to him, and moved towards the elevator. Cam hiccupped against his shoulder, snuggling as close to Stan's chest as possible.

"It's ok, buddy," Stan said, hoping his voice sounded softer to Cam than it did to him.

Cam cried quietly, rubbing his nose against Stan's shirt, as the elevator began its descent.

The elevator door slid open and Stan tightened his hold on Cam as he stepped into the busy emergency room. He frowned, his eyes scanning the place, until finally coming to rest on the weary man sitting slouched atop a gurney. Stark white bandages covered his arms and soot and burns marred his face.

"Cam," Stan said softly, bending to set the little boy down on the ground. "Cam, look."

Cameron lifted his head, and the second his eyes landed on Jason, the little boy took off running. Jason slid from the gurney, his feet landing firmly on the floor before he bent, catching the little boy in his arms.

Jason stood, leaning heavily against the gurney as he cradled Cameron in his arms. The little boy's head came to his shoulder and Jason lowered his head, breathing in the little boy's scent as he held on as tightly as he could.

The emergency room doors slid open and Jason knew the second she stepped in. The hairs on his neck stood up, alerting him of the second her eyes landed on them. Still hugging Cameron close, Jason looked up, his eyes meeting hers from across the emergency room. She looked breathtaking to him, tears in her eyes, her mouth dropped open in surprise.

Elizabeth was in front of them in an instant. The moment her hand came up to the back of Cameron's head, the little boy turned in Jason's arms, throwing himself at his mother. Elizabeth accepted him greedily, squeezing him just as tightly as Jason had done a moment ago.

Her tearful eyes met Jason's over her little boy's head. Her chin wavered, as Jason's hand came up, his thumb sweeping lightly over her cheek, brushing at her tears.

His touch left a smear of soot on her porcelain skin, but she'd never looked more beautiful to him than she did in that moment. Elizabeth dropped her eyes down, leaning into his touch on her cheek.

"Jason…"

Elizabeth's eyes dropped to the floor, coming to rest on the melted mass of blue and red plastic on the floor next to the gurney. She frowned at it, her eyes flying back up to meet Jason's.

"Oh God, Jason… Where… Where's Spinelli?"

~*~*~*~*~

**~The Lake House~**

Sam stumbled up to the front door of the Lake House as the cabbie drove away. She leaned her head against the door, pressing her cheek against it as she frowned at the throbbing headache she had.

The door swung open from underneath her cheek and Sam stumbled. She would have fallen if Alexis hadn't caught her.

"Sam? What are you doing?"

Rolling her eyes at her mother, Sam stepped inside, stripping off her coat and throwing it on the couch. Alexis watched her before frowning and quietly closing the door.

"You're drunk."

Sam ignored her as she made her way to her bedroom, Alexis following close behind. She stumbled only once before she fell onto her bed, ignoring the fact that she was fully clothed.

"Why did you feel the need to get drunk tonight?" Alexis pressed, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

Sam groaned, pushing her face into the pillow. "You don't understand…. I had to make Jason pay."

Alexis frowned. "You trashed yourself because of Jason Morgan?"

Sam groaned again, louder this time, before she pulled the blanket over her head. "Go away! I have a headache!"

Alexis sat silent on the bed a moment longer before she shook her head at her oldest daughter and stepped out of the room.

A part of her wanted to go back in there and yell and scream at Sam, but a part of her, a growing part, just couldn't seem to muster up enough energy to care.

Frowning at that, Alexis dropped onto the couch, curling her legs under herself as she picked up the remote, powering on the TV.

Her eyes widened as she took in the sight of the burning building on the news update and it wasn't until she recognized the building - her one-time home- that she straightened on the couch, her daughter's words coming back to her.

_"…I had to make Jason pay."_  
  
And her frown deepened.

~*~*~*~*~

**~General Hospital Intensive Care, Room 204~**

The machines beeped quietly in the closed off room, and without even meaning to, Elizabeth synchronized her breathing to the beats of the heart machine. Three beeps in, three beeps out.

Spinelli looked paler than she'd ever seen him, and the nurse in her knew that the pallor of his skin wasn't a good sign. His eye lashes and eyebrows were singed and his hands were heavily burned and bandaged.

Burned from holding her son's favorite toy as it melted to his hands from the heat of the fire.

Elizabeth's hand shook, mirroring the quiver of her chin, as she rested her fingertips over the gauze on his hands. "Oh Spinelli…"

She shook her head, unmindful of the tears that fell from her eyes. "Why? Why did you go back in the building?"

She dropped her head to the mattress, her forehead coming to rest near his still hand. "You have to be ok, Spinelli. You just have to."

The ICU room door opened and Elizabeth turned in her seat, casting her eyes downward when Epiphany stepped inside. The older nurse didn't even bother to pretend to check Spinelli's vitals, instead choosing to watch Elizabeth with a critical eye.

"Are you ok?" Epiphany said quietly.

The soft question brought a fresh round of tears to Elizabeth's eyes as she shook her head. "It should have been me."

Epiphany sighed, one hand coming to rest on Elizabeth's shoulder as both women watched Spinelli's chest rise and fall with the aid of the life support machine he was hooked up to.

"It should be me on that bed," Elizabeth said again. She shook her head, hating herself for the tears that she couldn't stop. "I should have stayed with my family instead of coming here to help Lucky."

"Oh, Elizabeth-"

"Spinelli's in this bed because he went back into a burning building to get _my_ son's favorite toy," Elizabeth said, louder this time as she wiped furiously at her tears. " _I_ should have been the one who went back for my son's toys."

Elizabeth couldn't help the sob that slipped out. "I should be the one in that bed right now, fighting for my life."

Epiphany shook her head, squeezing Elizabeth's shoulder with her hand. "You can't do that to yourself. You can't torture yourself with the what ifs or you're going to drive yourself crazy. What ifs are only going to make you have doubts."

Elizabeth shook her head. "But-"

"No buts," Epiphany said firmly. "What happened tonight was a tragedy, but you need to be honest with yourself right now. Especially if you're going to make a life with Jason Morgan."

Stiffening in the chair, Elizabeth turned to face the older nurse. "Is this where you tell me I made a mistake by marrying Jason?"

Epiphany watched her for a long moment before shaking her head. "No, I'm not. But you need to know that this won’t be the last time you'll be in a situation like this if you're Mrs. Jason Morgan."

Epiphany ran her hand down the back of Elizabeth's hair. It was the gentlest maternal touch the older woman had ever given her.

"Right now," Epiphany started, "You need to ask yourself if you're strong enough to do this."

Elizabeth played with the ring on her left hand, keeping her eyes downcast. "Do you think I am?"

Again, Epiphany was quiet for a long moment before she touched Elizabeth's chin, forcing the woman to look up.

"I think you're the strongest person I know."

~*~*~*~*~

**~General Hospital E.R., Curtain Room 3~**

"Jason, is Spelly going to be ok?"

Looking up, Jason ruffled Cameron's curls. The little boy was being held in the ER for observation for smoke inhalation. Not that Cameron Webber seemed to mind. He was more than a little excited about being hooked up to an oxygen machine and was having lots of fun with the call button, much to the amusement of Regina, Leyla, and even Epiphany, although she'd never admit it.

Cameron looked up at him with so much trust that Jason had to clear his throat. "You know, the doctor's a checking in on him right now."

Cameron nodded. "And Mommy."

A small smile came to Jason's face. "That's right. You're Mom's up with him right now."

"My Mommy's the best nurse," Cameron said proudly. "She sometimes buys suckers for the other kids here, even though it's against the rules." Cam giggled. "Mommy _always_ gives me one too."

Cameron's tiny hand poked Jason's. Jason let the little boy pull his hand across the gurney mattress until it rested over Cam's belly. It was a simple action, and after Cam had done it, he quickly moved on to trying to touch the plastic oxygen tubing in his nose with his tongue, but the move had brought unexpected tears to Jason's eyes.

Blinking rapidly, Jason cleared his throat as he rubbed his hand over Cameron's belly.

"You know-"

"I know he's here somewhere! I want you to tell me where Jason is!"

Cameron's eyes widened at the screaming coming from the other side of the curtain and he giggled when Jason groaned and dropped his forehead to the gurney.

"Who _is_ that?" Cam whispered loudly, poking Jason's head with his little fingers.

Jason groaned again, lifting his head to shake it at Cameron. "That's Carly. She's a friend of mine."

Cameron gave Jason a pointed stare. "Doesn't she know you aren't supposed to yell at the hospital?!"

Jason shook his head again. "Carly yells no matter where she is."

Cameron shook his head with wide-eyed disbelief. "She should get a talkin' to."

Both Jason and Cameron turned to look when the curtain was pulled sharply to the side. Carly flew in, a mass of blonde hair, launching herself into Jason's arms. Sonny walked in after her, two steps behind and ten times calmer.

"Oh my God, Jason! I was so scared!"

On the bed, Cameron frowned. "Are you Carly?"

Carly pulled back from Jason, frowning at the little boy on the bed. Her eyes widened a moment later when she realized just who that little boy was. "I… Yes. I'm Carly."

Cameron shook his head. "You're not supposed to yell in the hospital. Mommy says if you do something after you've been told not to, you deserve a talkin' to."

Carly sputtered.

Cameron turned to look at Jason. "I think you're gonna have to give her a talkin' to, Jason."

Off to the side, Sonny coughed, not-so-discretely covering a laugh. His cough earned him a glare from Carly. "Uh, Jase… Can we talk?"

Jason nodded, turning back to Cameron. "I'm just going to talk to Sonny really quick. You going to be ok for just a minute." Jason pointed off to the side. "I'll be right there, and I'll leave the curtain open so you can see me the entire time."

Cameron grinned, reaching for the call button on the wall behind the gurney. "Can I call Nurse Leyla again? She talks funny."

Rubbing his chin, Jason shook his head. "Let's not bother her… I'll just be a minute."

Cameron nodded, lifting his chin. "Go ahead. I'm a big boy."

Jason smiled at him, ruffling Cameron's curls before stepping away from the gurney. He followed Carly and Sonny a few steps. Once they were out of ear shot of anyone else, both Sonny and Jason looked expectantly at Carly but she stubbornly glared back at them.

Sonny turned towards Jason. "What the hell happened tonight? Was this-"

"It wasn't business," Jason cut in sharply. "This was personal. And I'm going to take care of this, my way."

Carly's eyes widened. "If it wasn't business, then who was it, Jase?"

Jason's eyes narrowed. "Sam."

~*~*~*~*~

**~General Hospital E.R.~**

Elizabeth leaned heavily against the ER Nurse's Hub, her elbow on the ledge, her forehead cradled in her hand. There was no change in Spinelli's condition up in ICU and Cameron was flirting with Leyla as her little boy waited for his own room in the children's wing for overnight observation for the smoke he'd inhaled while in the burning building.

Jason had left not long after she'd come down from the ICU, and the look on his face as he came towards her had made her blood run cold. His face had softened as he held her close, promising to be careful before he'd given her a light kiss, first on her lips, and then on her expanded belly.

"Elizabeth? Are you ok?"

Straightening, Elizabeth tried to smile as Nadine Crowell stepped up to the hub. The younger nurse threw her a sympathetic look.

"Elizabeth, why don't you sit down or something."

Elizabeth shook her head immediately. "No, I'm fine."

Nadine frowned. "Are you sure? You've been running around all night. Your feet have to be killing you. My Aunt Raylene was never pregnant herself, but she always used to say pregnant women were saints, not for giving birth but for standing on swollen ankles."

Nadine smiled. "She said with that much extra water weight, how could you not say pregnant women literally walked on water."

Despite herself, Elizabeth smiled. "It's not so bad tonight, and I'm just waiting for Cam's room to be situated upstairs."

Nadine smiled back before looking down at the chart in her hands. She frowned at it before peeking back up at Elizabeth. "I… That man that came in with you tonight… That was Max Giambetti, right?"

Elizabeth frowned, nodding her head. "Yes it was."

"Is he still around?"

Eyes narrowed, Elizabeth nodded. "I'm sure he is but I haven't seen him. Why do you need Max?"

Nadine hesitated, hugging the chart tight to her chest. "I shouldn't tell you. I just really need to talk to him."

"Nadine…"

Nadine sighed. "You know the rules, Elizabeth."

"Then tell me as your colleague, Nadine."

Nadine was quiet for a long moment. "I… His brother, Milo Giambetti was caught in the fire."

Elizabeth gasped, pulling back. "Oh no…"

Nadine shook her head sadly. "He didn't make it."

Elizabeth closed her eyes. "Oh God…"

"Isn't this about the time you run away, little girl?"

Nadine's eyes widened as she whistled low through her teeth and slid away. Groaning, Elizabeth turned away from the hub. "What do you want, Carly."

Carly's eyes narrowed. "I want you out of Jason's life."

One of Elizabeth's eyebrows raised. "That's not what Jason seems to want."

This time, Carly rolled her eyes. "You made sure of that, didn't you? You got knocked up and now he's stuck with you."

Elizabeth's back stiffened, ready to respond but Sonny beat her to it.

"Carly!"

Carly's eyes narrowed. "Don't _Carly_ me, Sonny!"

"Elizabeth's been through a lot tonight," Sonny began.

Carly snorted.

"And the last thing she needs is for you to be yelling at her about something that's really none of your business."

"Jason _is_ my business."

Sonny raised his eyebrow at her. "Especially when what you really should be doing is helping her."

Carly scoffed and even Elizabeth's eyes widened. "Helping her?!"

Sonny shook his head. "You're both mothers." Sonny tapped Carly's arm with his finger. "You should be helping her understand this world since you have experience in it. Experience bringing children into it."

Sonny looked at Elizabeth closely before his eyes dropped to her belly. "Because I don't think Elizabeth is going anywhere."

~*~*~*~*~

**~The Lake House~**

Sam groaned. Some flicking noise woke her up and she nearly growled as she pulled her pillow out from under her and plopped it on top of her head.

If anything, the flicking noise got louder, until it was a steady tap. This time, Sam did growl out loud as she pulled the pillow out from under her. "Kristina, if you can't sleep go get your Mom."

Gasping, Sam pulled back, blinking in the dark as Jason leaned forward in the chair he'd pulled by the side of her bed. "Jason?"

He leaned back in the chair, playing with something in his hands, but he remained silent. Sam sat up straighter in the bed, pushing her hair out of her face. Her tank top had ridden up while she slept, but she didn't bother pulling it back into place.

Whiskey always gave her the worst headache and her head began to pound, letting her know she'd drank way more than she should have.

"Jason, what are you doing here?" She sneered, rolling her eyes. "Sick of your new wife already?"

Jason's eyes narrowed, glittering in the dark as he threw whatever he'd been playing with at her. It hit her duvet cover by her hand and Sam frowned at the small book of matches, flipping it over. On the back was a yellow smiley face, and the words, _Don't drink and drive_. Sam frowned at it until the memory hit her hard, sending her falling back against her pillow.

_Sam raised her fist, opening it, and a small smile played on her face when she saw the smiley face up in her hand. "Don't drink and drive."_

_The strike of the match sounded like a gunshot as Spinelli's mouth fell open in silent surprise. Before he could utter a single word, Sam flicked the lit match onto the floor and walked out the door._

Jason stood, stalking towards the bed in two quick steps. Before Sam could even think to scream, he had her by the throat and pushed back flat on the bed, his fingers curling into her neck.

"I should kill you for this," Jason growled, the corners of his mouth tight. "You went after my family. I've killed men for less than that."

Sam's eyes widened and she frantically tried to pull on Jason's hand but his grip was like iron. "I… you can't… kill me…"

Jason tightened his fingers around her neck until Sam flinched. "Tell me why I shouldn't."

He eased his grip a fraction of an inch but kept his hands wrapped around her throat. Tears sprung in Sam's eyes.

"You love me."

Jason shook his head in disgust. "You make me _sick_."

Sam's tears fell. "I was drunk, Jason… I was hurt!"

"You went after my family!"

"I used to be your family!" Sam cried out, whimpering at the end when Jason tightened his hold on her neck once more.

"You… you're going to kill me?"

Jason eyes narrowed as he stood, letting go of her roughly. "I'm not."

Sam sat up, rubbing her neck.

"I'm not going to risk it backfiring and me being taken away from my family," Jason said, stepping away from the bed. "But you're going to leave town."

"You can't force me-"

He lunged at her again, forcing her against the headboard. Her head hit it with a loud crack that made her whimper. "I don't want to have to kill you, but I will. What you did is unforgivable."

Sam glared at him. "You broke my heart, Jason. What _you_ did was unforgivable."

Jason's eyes narrowed. "You'll leave town," he repeated. "And if you ever make the mistake of coming back to Port Charles, or near my family again, I'll come after you."

He stood, backing away from the bed.

"And I will kill you."

~*~*~*~*~

**~General Hospital, 4th Floor Pediatrics Wing~**

Elizabeth closed Cameron's hospital room door, falling against it as she closed her eyes. The weight of the night was catching up to her and she leaned heavily into the door.

"Elizabeth, are you ok?"

Opening her eyes, Elizabeth pushed away from the door, brushing her hair out of her face. Kelly Lee stood in front of her, in her street clothes, her jacket draped over her arm.

"Kelly…"

Kelly reached out, squeezing Elizabeth's elbow. "I hear you've had quite the night."

Sighing heavily, Elizabeth rubbed her hands over her face. "I was at the Towers earlier tonight… I saw the fire."

Kelly shook her head sadly. "That had to be horrible for you."

Tears filled Elizabeth's eyes but she rubbed them away before they could fall. "All I could think was that I was going to lose someone else to a fire," she whispered. "And then they told me only two had been taken to GH."

Kelly squeezed her elbow again. "Oh, Elizabeth…"

"And my first thought was that I'd lost him. I knew Jason would do everything he could to get everyone else out first… I thought for sure I'd lost him."

"You didn't though," Kelly said softly.

Elizabeth nodded, her eyes wet with tears again. "But I could have… He could have died in that fire. And I've been holding back and I hated myself for it. I was sure I wouldn't get a chance to see him again, to be with him again…"

One tear slipped from Elizabeth's eyes.

"He could have died tonight, Kelly… Without ever knowing how much I love him."


	7. Lust

For every success, there is a failure  
  
For every strength, there is a weakness  
  
For every virtue, there is a vice

 

**Part 7: Lust**

_ Lust _ _: Excessive thoughts or desires of a sexual nature. In Dante's Purgatorio, the sinner walks through flames in order to purge themselves of lustful thoughts and feelings._

  
**~Safe House~**

The SUV slowly pulled up the long driveway, the headlights the only beacon of light in the neighborhood. From what Elizabeth could see, the front of the house was simple and nondescript, and neatly separated by a mass of trees from the other houses further down the street.

Jason stopped the truck, throwing it into park. Instead of pulling the keys out of the ignition right away, he kept his hand on the center console, the tips of his fingers brushing Elizabeth's arm.

The touch sent a shiver down her spine and Elizabeth tipped her head at him. They hadn't had a lot of time together in the past two days, but the second their eyes met, none of that mattered. Jason was normally stoically unreadable but Elizabeth found, in this moment, so much swirling in his blue eyes that it was hard to look away.

"Guys," Cameron yawned from the back seat. "Are we gonna sit in the car all night?"

The corners of Jason's eyes crinkled, a sure sign of a smile, although Elizabeth could tell - even in the dark - that his mouth never moved. He pushed his door open and slid out, and a moment later had Cameron's back seat door popped open as well.

"You ready, buddy?" Jason asked as he pulled Cameron out of his seat.

Cameron yawned and nodded at the same time. He tried to keep his head up but once he was in Jason's arms, he let his head fall on Jason's shoulder. "New home, right?"

Jason's eyes met Elizabeth's over the hood of the SUV as they both headed towards the front door. "That's right… Just for a little."

"'Til we find a real home, right?" Cameron asked quietly as Jason unlocked the front door.

Again, Jason's eyes met Elizabeth's and he nodded, more for her benefit that Cam's. "Yeah, that's right. Then we'll find a real home."

His words brought unexpected tears to Elizabeth's eyes but she wiped at her face before her little boy could see them and stepped inside. A single lamp had been turned on already, casting a warm glow around what would be their new living room. The house had a deep, dark color scheme that screamed Sonny Corinthos, but the dark colors were surprisingly soothing as Elizabeth looked around.

In Jason's arms, Cameron yawned again, capturing Elizabeth's attention. She stepped up close, running her fingers through Cam's soft curls.

"I think we should get you to bed," Jason said quietly, catching Elizabeth's gaze over Cameron's head. "It's been a long day."

"I wanna explore," Cameron protested, even as his eyelids dropped a little more.

Elizabeth smiled at him, running her finger down his cheek. "You can explore in the morning, baby. Now it's bedtime."

Jason nodded in agreement, resting his hand on Cameron's back to steady the little boy as he climbed the stairs, Elizabeth a few steps behind.

His men, already overtaxed in the aftermath of the fire, had done everything they could to ready the safe house so when Jason entered the first bedroom, he wasn't surprised to find a freshly painted room and toys, some opened, some still in their boxes, lining the walls.

Including a shiny, new, Chuggin' Charlie at the base of the toddler bed.

Jason stepped further into the room and he knew the second Elizabeth caught sight of the toy by the small gasp she gave. He peeked at her and their eyes met for a second before he set Cameron down on the tiny bed.

Cam's eyes tiredly scanned the room for a quick second but they snapped open when they came to rest on Chuggin' Charlie by his bed. "Charlie's all better?"

Jason cleared his throat. "We got you a new Charlie."

Elizabeth knelt by the bed, and Jason followed suit as she brushed the curls out of Cam's face and pressed a kiss onto his forehead. "You can play with Charlie in the morning, baby."

Cam frowned, shaking his head slowly. "I'm gonna wait 'til Spelly can watch me ride. So he can make the _choo choo_ noises."

Elizabeth's nose burned as she shook her head sadly. "That might not be for a while, Cam. Spinelli's staying at the hospital right now so that the doctors and nurses can fix his boo boos."

Cameron shook his head again. "I wanna wait."

He laid down in the bed without even having to be prompted and Elizabeth's hand shook as she reached for the blanket. She tugged on it a moment, her grasp weak, before Jason's hand closed over hers and he helped her pull it up over Cam's body, tucking him in tight.

Cam pulled the blanket up to his chin before looking up at his mother. "I need a towel, Mommy."

Elizabeth frowned but behind her, Jason shifted to his feet. "Baby, you don't need a towel."

Cam nodded, wide-eyed. "I need a magic towel."

Elizabeth felt Jason step away from her and turned to watch him walk quickly out of the room. She shook her head before looking back down at Cameron. "If you want another blanket, I can get you one."

Cameron shook his head. "No. I need a towel, Mommy! So I don't get hurt if there's another fire."

Pulling back, Elizabeth couldn't help the tears that pooled in her eyes. And she could only watch as Jason stepped back into the room, a fluffy white towel in his hands. He knelt once more by the bed, and spread the towel over Cam's blanket.

"Is that good?" Jason asked quietly.

Cam nodded, snuggling deeper into his pillow. "It's good. Can you make sure some of it touches Charlie?"

Elizabeth could only watch as Jason adjusted the towel, making sure that the bottom corner of it covered the little toy at the base of Cam's bed.

"You know, Jason," Cam said quietly, even as he closed his eyes. "I think we need to get our new home before Spelly's all better."

Jason cocked his head to the side. "Oh yeah?"

Cam opened his eyes just a crack before closing them again. "Yeah. So we can paint his room before he's all better and ready to leave the hospital."

Jason nodded, his hand coming up to touch the side of Cam's face. "We can do that… What color should his room be?"

Cam frowned, even with his eyes closed. "Not pink! He needs a boy color."

Elizabeth let out a shaky breath, her eyes meeting Jason's. "I liked that pink room," she said softly.

Cameron scoffed in the bed. "That's because you're a girl, Mommy."

Jason held her gaze, the hand that had just touched Cameron's face coming up to touch her. "I liked that pink room too."

Cameron's jaw dropped and his eyes opened to stare at Jason, shaking his head when he saw Jason wasn't looking at him, but at his mother. "You're just saying that to make Mommy happy."

The corners of Jason's mouth curved upward as Elizabeth laughed and shook her head at her little boy, leaning over the bed to kiss his cheek.

"Alright, enough talking. It's night night time, baby."

Cameron didn't fight it, only held his arms up for Jason to hug him before he settled into the mattress, closing his eyes once more. Elizabeth watched him for a long moment, listening for his breathing to even out, before she rocked back on her heels and let Jason help her stand.

His hand remained on her back, guiding her out of the room and back down the stairs, and Elizabeth found herself leaning into the touch. He led her around to the couch, only dropping his hand when Elizabeth sank down and patted the seat next to her. Jason obliged, shifting on the couch to face her, his hand coming up to rest on her belly.

He watched her, tilting his head to the side as she leaned into the couch, closing her eyes. "You don't want to look around?"

Keeping her eyes closed, Elizabeth shook her head. "I'll explore in the morning with Cam. Right now, I just want to sit here."

Her hands came up to close around his on her stomach, locking his hand in place. Jason shifted closer on the couch, his knee touching her leg. "You look tired."

Elizabeth cracked an eye open at him. "Is that your nice way of tell me I look horrible?"

He shook his head immediately, his fingers tightening over her belly. "You don't look horrible."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, turning towards him on the couch and swinging her legs over his lap. "I know I look horrible. I've still got on makeup from two days ago and I can't even tell you how long it's been since my hair as seen a brush."

Again Jason shook his head as his fingers traced the edge of her face. His touch made her look up in surprise, her eyes widening.

"I don't think you look horrible at all," he said quietly, pushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. "A lot's happened though, and I think it's getting to you."

Elizabeth stiffened. "I'm trying to be strong for Cam."

Jason nodded, letting his hand drop from her face. "I know you are."

"Between Spinelli and… and Milo… It's just been a lot," she said quietly. "And I hate that it was a fire. I hate it."

Tears sprung in her eyes, but Elizabeth blinked them away. "I hate that my little boy's life was touched by fire."

This time, it was Jason who stiffened on the couch. "I'm sorry."

Elizabeth frowned. "You didn't start the fire. It was an accident."

Jason shook his head as he pulled his hand away from her belly. "It wasn't an accident, and it wasn't business…."

Sitting up straighter, Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at him. "What are you talking about?"

Clearing his throat, Jason shook his head at her. "When I left the hospital the other day? After Carly and Sonny got there… I… I went to deal with Sam."

Elizabeth gasped, her hand covering her mouth. "Sam started this?!"

Jason nodded, his hand coming down to squeeze Elizabeth's calf which she still had resting over his lap. "She got drunk and… and Spinelli saw her start the fire."

Tears threatened again, but again Elizabeth blinked them away, her eyes flashing. "She could have killed Cameron! And you! And she almost _did_ kill Spinelli!"

Jason swallowed, nodding. "I know."

Frowning, Elizabeth shook her head at him. "When you say you dealt with her…"

Jason rubbed his hands over his face. "I didn't kill her. I want to, but… but I didn't."

Elizabeth was quiet for a long moment, letting his words hang in the air. "You… you wanted to kill her?"

Looking away, Jason squeezed her calf again. "I went over there to kill her… But she was asleep when I got there and I started thinking about what would happen if I did kill her. Alexis or Kristina could have walked in, and I… it was messy. And I didn't want to risk getting arrested right now."

Elizabeth nodded, shifting on the couch so that she could turn Jason's face towards her. Her fingers lingered along his jaw. "You… you wanted to kill Sam? And then you didn't because it could have gotten you arrested?"

He nodded, his eyes meeting hers. "I didn't want to be taken away from you and Cameron."

His words made Elizabeth chin quiver. "Oh, Jason…."

She leaned forward, using her hold on his chin to pull him towards her as she pressed her lips against his. She shifted, urging his mouth open with a strong swipe of her tongue as she threw everything she had into that kiss.

Jason's arms tightened around her waist, pulling her further onto his lap before Elizabeth pulled back, letting her forehead rest against his.

"Jason…" she whispered against his lips, her voice barely audible. This time, when her eyes filled with tears, she let one fall down her cheek.

"Oh, Jason…. I love you."

~*~*~*~*~

**~Greystone Manor~**

Sonny closed the file in front of him, rubbing his hands over his eyes. He had undone the top two buttons of his shirt hours ago, rolling the sleeves up to his elbows. His hair had reverted back to its natural curl too, after he'd run his hands through it more times than he could count.

Sighing again, Sonny reached for another file. The numbers seemed to blur together so he rubbed at his eyes again, frowning when the type in front of him cleared, but he still didn't understand it.

Throwing the file down, Sonny snuck a peak at Bernie, who was uncomfortably sitting in an arm chair, a laptop resting on the coffee table in front of him. Every once in a while Bernie would frown, tap one key with his pointer finger, and frown again.

"You know," Sonny said slowly. "I'm really not used to doing this anymore."

Bernie blinked at the screen before looking up at his boss in surprise. "Excuse me, sir?"

"This," Sonny said, motioning to the files strewn around him. "Recovery. Research."

Bernie swallowed, looking more than a little uncomfortable. "Oh, well… That's right… Jason usually… usually takes care of things like this." He frowned once more at the laptop. "Jason, Spinelli, and Stan."

Sonny frowned. "Where is Stan again? Why isn't he doing this?"

"Stan and Ritchie worked overnight on the safe house for Jason."

"Oh yeah, that's right." Sighing again, Sonny picked up another file, frowning at the projected costs of securing another apartment building.

The living room doors opened quietly and Sonny dropped the folder, blinking in surprise at Max stepped through the doors. He closed the doors without sound before standing in front of them, lifting his chin and clasping his arms behind his back.

Sonny watched him for a long moment, frowning, before he stood. "Max, what are you doing here."

If anything, Max's chin raised just a fraction of an inch as he cleared his throat. "My shift started five minutes ago, boss. I apologize for being late."

Sonny frowned at him, stepping closer. "Bernie, take a break from the computer for a minute, will you?"

The older man stood quickly and quietly, exiting the room. Sonny watched him go before turning back to Max. "You don't have to be here, Max."

Max kept his eyes glued on the wall in front of him. "There's a lot going on right now, boss. And you're... you're understaffed now. You need me."

"You know I need you," Sonny said quietly. "But is this really what _you_ need? Go home, Max."

Max's nose burned but he steeled his chin. "I can work my shift, boss."

Sonny raised an eyebrow. "Then I'm ordering you to go home."

Dropping his chin to his chest, Max was quiet for a long time. When he finally looked up, Sonny saw the first sign of tears in the younger man's eyes. "M-Milo's shit is all over the apartment. He never cleans up after himself and I… I just… I can't."

Sonny nodded, averting his eyes downward. "Ok… Why don't you go and spend some time with your mother? Does she… does she know?"

Max nodded stiffly. "I… I called her. She's got a flight for tomorrow to come here."

Again Sonny nodded, not really knowing what to say. Max cleared his throat, steeling his jaw before looking up.

"I just need to work, boss. If you need me here, I can be here. If you need me to go to Mrs. C's to watch over the kids, I can do that. I just need to work."

Sonny watched him a long moment before nodding. "Alright, then," he said quietly, stepping around the couch. He picked up one of the files on the coffee table.

"How good are you at numbers?"

~*~*~*~*~

**~Safe House~**

Jason blinked, his fingers tightening around Elizabeth's expanded belly. "You… you love me?"

Immediately, Elizabeth pulled back, pushing her bangs to the side as she blushed. "I… I know it seems quick…" She looked up, shaking her head more at herself than at him. "But Jason, I've… I feel like I've always loved you. Even from that first time at Jake's."

She tried pulling her legs off his lap, but Jason held them down, locking them in place as his free hand came up to push her hair behind her ear.

"I… I didn't… I didn't know that's how you felt."

Biting her lip, Elizabeth shrugged. "I know it's probably not what you expected to hear. But I've loved you for a long time, and I know you loved… I mean…" She blushed again, looking down. "I don't expect you to say it back. I know we've been just friends for a long time. And I understand that-"

Jason caught her chin, forcing her to look up at him. "We've always been more than friends," he said quietly.

"More than friends," Elizabeth whispered, unable to look away. "I've always liked that."

Jason shifted closer, holding her a little tighter. "You know what you mean to me, right?"

Biting her lip, Elizabeth looked down. "Jason, I'm not expecting-"

He caught her chin again, and just like before he titled it up, urging her to look at him. She watched him with guarded eyes as Jason ran his finger over her bottom lip until she released it from between her teeth.

Shifting, he cradled her face between both hands, lowering his head until he could press a kiss first on her forehead, then to the tip of her nose, before hovering over her lips.

"I once told you there was no word for what I felt for you," Jason said, his breath whispering across her lips.

Elizabeth closed her eyes, her hands coming up to grip his by her face.

"I still feel that way," he continued. "You mean so much to me… Love just doesn't seem like a big enough word."

Elizabeth's eyes snapped open, wide-eyed, but she could only let them drift shut again as Jason closed the distance between their lips, pressing his firmly against hers.

Everything he couldn't say, he threw into that kiss, and Elizabeth felt it all, gasping at the intensity. His tongue swept against her bottom lip, seeing entrance, and she sighed as she opened for him.

His tongue pushed against hers as he shifted, using his hold on her to change the angle of the kiss and Elizabeth melted into him as far as the bump of her belly would allow. That pressure, and the tiny kick their baby gave, made Jason pull back. He was breathing heavy as he rubbed his hands over his face.

"Wait, what," Elizabeth breathed out. "Why'd you stop?"

Jason shifted on the couch, pressing his palm flat against Elizabeth's stomach. "I… I don't want to hurt you or the baby."

Elizabeth leaned forward, catching Jason's chin with her hand to pull him close and press a kiss to his lips. "Trust me, you weren't hurting me."

He gave her a small smile, the kind of smile that made her stomach drop. Leaning forward, Jason kissed her softly, skimming his fingertips down her arm. The touch sent a shiver down her spine as her fingers curled into the soft fabric of the couch in anticipation.

He left her lips, his mouth trailing a path down her neck as his fingers worked on the buttons of her shirt. Pulling back, Jason watched her intently as he slowly slipped the top button from the buttonhole, his fingers brushing against the valley between her breasts.

Holding her breath, Elizabeth could only watch as he undid the next few buttons with the same slow intensity. Her shirt sagged open and instead of waiting for him, Elizabeth pulled on each side, shrugging out of it.

For a moment, Jason sat still, his eyes roaming over the changes pregnancy had left on her body. He leaned forward, pressing a kiss to her bare belly before lifting his head higher, one hand coming around her back to reach for the clasp of her bra as his other hand held the full weight of one breast in the palm of his hand.

Elizabeth gasped at his touch, letting her eyes flutter shut. Her bra loosened, the straps slipping from her shoulders before Jason pulled it away, baring her full breasts to his view. He lowered his head, catching one nipple between his lips and rolling the other with his fingers in a way that made Elizabeth hiss.

Jason eased her down on the couch, making sure to hold his weight in his arms as he continued the assault on her breast. He licked, teased, and nipped until her nipple puckered to a firm nub and he moved to the other.

Elizabeth groaned as he moved further down, tugging her pants down over her hips along the way. She pressed the back of her head harder into the couch as he moved back up her body, pressing a sound kiss against her lips.

She felt the insistent press of his arousal against her thigh and she reached for the button of his jeans, but Jason brushed her hands away as he pulled his lips away from hers.

"Let me do this for you," he said quietly, looking down at her. His fingers trailed along her bare thigh before he skimmed one skilled finger along the seam of her slit.

His fingers parted her, pressing against her nub as he shifted over her, making sure to keep his weight off of her. Elizabeth felt Jason smile against her neck before he pressed a kiss against her pulse point and pushed two fingers inside of her.

"Oh, Jason…"

She bucked against his hand as his fingers danced across her sensitive flesh. He kissed a pale freckle on her shoulder as his thumb rubbed circles over her clit in a way that had her throwing her head back.

The coil tightened deep in her belly and Elizabeth threw her head back as his fingers picked up speed. Elizabeth's breath caught in her throat as she tensed before the orgasm hit her hard, making her toes curl into the couch.

She lazily turned to watch him out of hooded eyes, catching his gaze as he pulled back to pull his shirt over his head. Again she reached out to tug on the button of his jeans, but he once again brushed her fingers away and undid them himself.

He moved towards her, kissing her soundly on the lips as he skimmed his hands down her sides. She looked up when he stopped, her eyes meeting his as he shifted to his knees, holding his weight in his hands.

A small smile curved the corners of her mouth upward as he held himself over her. Elizabeth gripped his arms tightly as the tip of his head pushed against her, pulling a sharp hiss of pleasure from both of them.

He entered her with one strong thrust, filling her completely. Pulling out nearly all the way, Jason watched her intently as he thrust again. Elizabeth tightened her fingers around his wrists as he pushed into her. She looked up, catching his gaze with her own and the look on his face make her breath catch in her throat.

And she knew in that moment exactly what he'd meant when he said love wasn't a big enough word.

~*~*~*~*~

**~General Hospital ICU - The Next Morning~**  
  
Jason stood in the hallway, staring through the thick windows of the ICU room. Spinelli lay on the bed, in the same position he'd been in the night before. Tubes down his throat, machines keeping him breathing, and his bandaged hands resting on top of the mattress at his sides.

Turning away from the window, Jason ran his hands over his face, stopping when he caught sight of a doctor out of the corner of his eye. "Patrick? How is he?"

Patrick turned, frowning when he caught sight of Jason. He pocketed the pen he held in his hand before stepping closer to the enforcer. "You want to know about Damien Spinelli, right?"

Jason nodded, looking back through the windows.

"I can't really tell you much, Jason," Patrick said slowly, following Jason's gaze to the kid on the bed.

"I hold his Power of Attorney," Jason said quickly. "Spinelli doesn't have any family."

"That's good to know, but that's not what I meant," Patrick said quickly. "I'm not his primary attending, Jason. Spinelli showed no signs neurological damage when he was presented so I haven't been kept informed on his case."

Jason frowned, turning back towards the window. Patrick hesitated for a moment before snatching up the binder hanging on Spinelli's door. He snuck one more glance at Jason, who had turned to watch him closely, before scanning the file.

"It looks like Spinelli had a good night," Patrick said slowly, his eyes still on the file. "He's still on life support to help his breathing, but his lungs are getting stronger. Once he starts breathing on his own, unassisted, they expect him to wake up."

Jason let out a slow breath. "And… and his hands?"

Patrick flipped a page, frowning. "His hands sustained severe damage. They were able to remove most of the burnt plastic down in the E.R., but he's going to need several surgeries once he's stabilized more. They'll need to get in there to see how extensive the nerve damage is, plus reconstructive surgeries to deal with the burns he suffered."

"Nerve damage?" Swallowing, Jason looked back at the window. "Are you saying there's a possibility he won't have the use of his hands?"

Patrick hesitated a long moment before nodding. "I'm saying that's a very real possibility."

Jason frowned, watching Spinelli through the window. "You'll refer him to the best surgeon for his hands?"

"I can research it myself," Patrick said smoothly. "But first we need him to wake up. Worry about that first, Jason. Get through that hurdle and then we can think about his hands."

Jason nodded, looking down at his own hands. To the side, Patrick replaced Spinelli's file before clearing his throat.

"I wanted to ask," Patrick said slowly, even as he took a step back. "How is Elizabeth doing?"

Jason turned towards the doctor. "She's fine."

Patrick nodded. "That's good. I'm sure she'd want to know… Could you let her know that Lucky Spencer has agreed to rehab. He'll be moved to a facility out of town in a couple of days."

Jason nodded stiffly. "I'll let her know."

"Good," Patrick said, taking another step away. He nodded once to Jason before turning and walking around the corner.

Jason watched him go before turning back to head toward Spinelli's ICU room door.

"Hey, Jase… hold up a second."

Turning, Jason watched Sonny approach quickly and frowned. "Is something wrong?"

Immediately Sonny shook his head. "No, I just wanted to see how you were doing. I called the safe house and Elizabeth said you were here. I figured you wouldn't be able to use your cell in the hospital."

Sonny turned to look at Spinelli. "He's getting better?"

"Patrick said his lungs are getting stronger."

"That's good," Sonny nodded. He turned back towards Jason. "You know, I never understood why you put up with him like you do."

Jason shifted, rubbing his hand over his chin. "Sometimes, I don't know either. But… But he always means well. He's a good kid." He stopped, looking down. "He ran back into the building to save Cameron's favorite toy."

Sonny looked back through the window. "He did that?" When Jason nodded, Sonny shook his head. "That show's a lot of loyalty."

"Spinelli is more loyal than anyone I've ever met," Jason said quietly.

Sonny was quiet for a long time before he cleared his throat. "How are Elizabeth and Cameron?"

Jason paused for a moment, looking down. "I… They're good. When I left Cameron was dragging Elizabeth around the safe house so that he could check out every room."

Sonny smiled. "He's a good kid."

Nodding, Jason cleared his throat. "He is."

Sonny watched him, tilting his head to the side. "Just like Elizabeth's a good woman. She's a good woman for you."

Jason's head snapped up, his eyes meeting Sonny's.

Shrugging, Sonny pushed his hands into his pockets. "For a long time I thought Sam was the one for you, because you and her were so alike. You guys fit together because she knew this world, probably more than she should have. She was similar to you in a lot of ways."

Jason tensed, shifting on his feet but he said nothing.

"But you know," Sonny continued quietly. "Lily was like that for me… She grew up in the mob. She knew it, and she knew the rules. But… but being alike didn't make her my soulmate…"

Shaking his head, Sonny watched Jason closely. "Sometimes I wonder how different my life would be if Brenda, not Lily, had been the one to get pregnant with my first child."

Both men were quiet for a long moment before Sonny shrugged again. "I'm just saying…" He let his words hang in the air before he slapped his hand on Jason's shoulder and stepped away, heading towards the elevators. Jason watched him go before he headed once more to the door to Spinelli's room.

The life support machine beeped loudly in the room, and Jason found himself checking the machine readings before he settled down in the chair by the bed. He watched the rise and fall of the young hacker's chest before he sighed, settling his elbows on his knees and rubbing his hands over his face.

He sighed heavily before lifting his head to watch Spinelli in the bed.

"You know," Jason said slowly. "Elizabeth says I should talk to you when I visit."

Frowning, he cleared his throat as he checked the machine monitors again. "I… I know you always bitch about the fact your room at the Penthouse was pink. I know I could have changed it but… but I guess… I just never thought you'd be around for long."

Clearing his throat, Jason looked around the room before turning back towards Spinelli on the bed. "But… but you know, Cameron and I are going to paint your room for you when we find a new house."

The corners of Jason's mouth turned upward. "He's really excited about it. He asked this morning if we could pick out colors later today."

Clearing his throat again, Jason looked down before whispering, "You've got to wake up, Spinelli." He shook his head as he looked around.

"I'm going to need your help," Jason said slowly. "I want to have a wedding ceremony for Elizabeth. I think she'd really like that, if Cameron could be involved and all…"

Jason frowned at the machines again before looking down. "So you have to wake up, so you can help, and come…"

Jason took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "I guess what I'm trying to say is… You're family, Spinelli. And not just because Elizabeth says so…"

He touched the younger man's hand, his fingers just barely touching the white bandages.

"You're family."


End file.
